Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this very well executed Still Life Oil on canvas by the artist Charles Howson Bennett, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner and dated it 1905. The painting depicts of brass vase of tea roses in various shades of red and pink.

Charles Howson Bennett was born on the 5th May, 1862 in Tunstall Staffs, one of eight children, where his father William worked as a manager in the Potteries. By 1881, his father was a manufacturer, employing 40 staff, a business which was taken over by a partnership of three of his sons, including Charles. In 1883, Charles married Eleanor Ann Stephenson and by 1891, he and his wife and five children were living at 1, Park Lane, Congleton, Staffordshire. In 1901, with the addition of a further child, the family had moved to Mona House, Moseley, Congleton.

Interestingly, in 1901 and listed in the London Gazette, the partnership between Charles and his two brothers was dissolved in respect of Charles and it was about this time, that he started painting professionally, because in the 1911 Census, his occupation is listed as Artist, Painter, By this time all of his children had left home except for his youngest son Harold Lawrence and he, Eleanor and Harold were living at 19 Oxford Terrace, Basford Park, Stoke-on-Trent. Eleanor died in 1929 and in the 1939 Register, Charles is listed as being in Llandudno with occupation as Artist OAP. He died in 1940 in Newcastle under Lyme, possibly the home of one of his children.

There are four of his flower paintings in oils in the National Collection which may be viewed in The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery or online at artuk.org. His auction results may be found at the usual sites. This is the third painting by this artist that we have handled, all flower paintings in which he appeared to specialise and all of them extremely well executed.

The painting is framed in a 5" ornate gilt frame and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 23 1/2" x 19 1/2" - 59.65cm x 49.5cm

Frame size: 33 1/2" x 29 1/2" - 85cm x 75cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. There is one tiny repair to the canvas as shown. The surface is clean and taut and there is no craquelure, paint loss or stretcher marks. The frame is in very good condition with minimal wear. Image of the back of the canvas available on request.