Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is an early, circa 1840-1850, and very well executed watercolour by the renowned member of the Cattermole Family of painters, George Cattermole, who has signed the painting with his monogram GC to the lower left hand corner. This watercolour is a version of another painting by this artist entitled 'The Saucy Page' and depicts a young page kneeling before a lady, who is pointing at the tray that he has put on the floor at her feet and is about to pour wine into a very large goblet. There are two suits of armour standing against the wall to the left and an armed man and another well dressed young man with a wine glass in his hand leaning on a buffet table to the right.

George Cattermole was born in Dickleburgh, near Diss in Norfolk in 1800, the youngest brother of Rev. Richard Cattermole 1790-1960, who was also originally an architectural draughtsman and an exhibited painter primarily of cathedrals, prior to taking Holy Orders. His nephew Charles Cattermole RI RBA 1832-1900 was also an artist, who painted historical subjects, in a style similar to that of his uncle. George was an architectural draughtsman, illustrator and painter of historical scenes.

George was apprenticed at the age of fourteen to John Britton as an architectural draughtsman and made illustrations for Britton's 'Cathedral Antiquities of Great Britain'. Elected Associate of the Old Watercolour Society in 1922 and full Member in 1833, he resigned in 1852 when he took up oil painting, at which he was less successful. He later returned to watercolour painting, abandoning architectural subjects for historical genre, at which he excelled.

He often worked for publishers, illustrating Roscoe's Wanderings in N. Wales, the Waverley Novels or Sir Walter Scott, several of Charles Dickens' novels etc. He was a close friend of Dickens, Disraeli, Thackeray, Maclise and Macready, and Ruskin admired him.

He exhibited 1819-1950 105 works at the Royal Academy (from 1819-1827) the British Institution and the OWS (97) works. At the Paris Exhibition of 1855 he received one of the five first-class gold medals awarded to British painters. He also enjoyed professional honours in Amsterdam and in Belgium. He refused to take pupils, whoever they were and also refused a knighthood. He and his family lived in areas around Clapham. He died in 1868 and his studio sale was held at Christie's on March 8th 1869. He is buried in West Norwood Cemetery in South London, near the tomb of John Britton, his first employer.

The painting is mounted with washlines and is framed in a 1/2" gilt frame. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 10 1/2" x 9" - 26.65cm x 22.85cm

Frame size: 18 3/4" x 15 1/4" - 47.65cm x 38.75cm

Medium: Watercolours heightened with bodycolour

Condition: Very good. There is no foxing and the colour are strong and true. The mount and frame are in very good condition.