Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are pleased to offer this lovely pastel portrait by the renowned artist Albert Henry Collings, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner. The portrait was exhibited at The Pastel Society at the Royal Institute Galleries, Piccadilly, London W, according to the rather brittle label on the old backing and which we have retained and was entitled 'A Study (Artificial Light' by the artist . As he gives his address as 1 Woodchurch Road, London NW6, this dates the pastel to after some time after 1911.

The head and shoulders portrait depicts an attractive lady, with her black hair parted in the middle and pulled back to a bun at the nape of her neck. She is wearing a necklace and has a multi coloured shawl around her bare shoulders. In one hand she is holding a fan. It would be a reasonable assumption to suggest that she may be Spanish, or is wearing Spanish costume.

Albert Henry Collings RBA RI 1868-1947 was a celebrated portraitist, who was born, trained and lived in London. He was born on 8th December 1868. He worked in oils, watercolours and pastels, specialising in figure subjects and portraits.

He was the son of painter and calligrapher John Richard Collings and Eliza nee Clark, who was the daughter of the animal painter James Clark. His brother Ernest Collings was a heraldic artist and he shared a home with him in 1891. By 1911, he was living with his sister Emily at 42 Chepstow Villas, Notting Hill. He later moved to 1 Woodchurch Road, West Hampstead. He died at St. John's Nursing Home in Buxton, Derbyshire on 6th May, 1947, leaving £10,858 in his will.

He exhibited from 1896-1938 at the Royal Academy, a total of 19 works and at the RBA 98 works. He was elected a Member of the RBA in 1897 and of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in 1913. He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1893 and was awarded a gold medal for a portrait in 1907 and a bronze medal at the Salon des Artistes Francais in 1917.

His biography in Who's Who in Art in 1934 listed his interests as music and golf. Biographical information for this artist may be found on Wikipedia, in The Dictionary of Victoria Painters by Christopher Wood, The Dictionary of British Artists (Collectors' Club) and the Dictionary of British Artists by Grant M. Waters. There is also another biography online under the Clark family of artists.

There are 9 of his paintings in the National Collection which can be viewed at ArtUK,org. They are situated at the Towner Gallery, the National Trust at Tyntesfield (3 paintings), the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum Coventry (2 works), Ramsgate Library, Astley Hall Museum & Art Gallery and the Scout Association.

The painting has been newly double mounted in two-tone acid free mountboard to complement and is framed in a 2 1/2" light bronze frame to suit. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 18 5/8" x 14 3/8" - 47.25cm x 36.5cm

Frame size: 28 3/4" x 24 1/2" - 73cm x 62.2cm

Medium: Pastels

Condition: Very good condition. There is no foxing or other damage. The frame and the mounts are new.