Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale a large watercolour by the artist PAUL MARNY, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner and entitled it verso 'Old Bridge Angouleme'. The painting depicts an old stone bridge, with a statue on the top of the pier, and steps leading down to the river, presumably the Charente. There is a loaded barge under the bridge with several figures and a smaller boat at the foot of the steps. There is a typically French turretted building in the centre of the painting.

PAUL MARNY was born in Paris and worked there for some years, possibly as a painter and decorator for Sevres, before moving to Belfast to join a French architect. He was persuaded to move to Scarborough in 1860 by Oliver Sarony, the photographic pioneer. He visited France from time to time, but remained living in Scarborough. Although not making much money at first, his work came to the attention of a local art dealer John Linn in 1878, who made an arrangement to take all of his paintings, in return for a stipend of £5 per week.

He painted many scenes of France and the Continent, largely from memory and local scenes in Yorkshire, always in watercolour. He died in Scarborough on 24th October 1914.

Biographical details for this artist may be found in The Dictionary of British Artists, The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood, Mallalieu's Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists, and Grant Waters' Dictionary of British Artists.

Paul Marny was a very prolific artist and auction results achieved for his work may be found at artprice.com (431 listings) and at findartinfo.com (213), artnet.com (153 and arcadja.com (120).

The painting is mounted with washlines and is framed in a 1" wooden frame with gilt insert which complements it very well.

Medium Watercolours on paper