Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to offer for sale this wonderful trompe l'oeil, or, literally translated 'fools the eye', oil painting on board by the gifted artist Frederick Clifford Harrison. The painting depicts a bronze Chinese flying horse from the 2nd Century A.D. which appears to be situated within a boxed frame with painted faux brass title plaque underneath. The horse appears to cast a shadow and appears to stand in relief, which is a tribute to the talent of the artist. The painting itself is framed in a sympathetic narrow wooden frame. He has signed the painting C.H. in the top right hand corner and dated it 1973, as shown in the main photo.

The Gansu Flying Horse or Han Dynasty Flying Horse is a Chinese sculpture in bronze from the Eastern Han Dynasty, probably dating from the 2nd Century a.D. Discovered in 1969 near the city of Wuwei, in the Province of Gansu, it is now in the Gansu Provincial Museum and has recently been included in the list of objects that may not leave China for exhibition.

Frederick Clifford Harrison, was born in Hammersmith in London in 1901, one of 7 children. He studied at Hammersmith College of Art and the Central School of Arts and Crafts. He worked in advertising for Publicity Arts Ltd. in the 1920, before going freelance in 1927, when he produced posters for Shell Oil. He eventually specialised in trompe l'oeil paintings and was one of the foremost proponents of this style, particularly in the 60s and 70s.

He regularly showed in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions until 1967, after which he was represented in London and provincial galleries. His paintings achieve high prices at auction.

There is one of his paintings in the National Collection at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, which can be viewed at artuk.org by putting his name into google.

He died in Eastbourne, Sussex in 1984.

His son, Christopher J. Harrison, (born 1945) is also a well known trompe l'oeil artist in similar style to his father and was taught by him.

Image size: 31" x 21" - 78.8cm x 53.4cm

Frame Size: 31 7/8" x 21 7/8" - 81cm x 55.55cm

Medium: Oils on board

Condition: Very good. There are a couple of tiny dents in the board, but other than this there is no craquelure or missing paint.