Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is a beautifully painted Victorian landscape oil on canvas by the artist George Law Francis Beetholme, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner. The painting depicts a landscape view of a mountainous region with a swiftly flowing stream creating a small waterfall over some rocks and running between steep rocky banks in the foreground. Unfortunately, we are unaware of the location. From his usual subject matter, we think it likely that it is in either Wales or Scotland.

George Law Francis Beetholme was born in 1825 in Hampstead, London, the eldest son of a solicitor by the name of John Law Beetholme (1797-1866). He was one of five children, having two sisters and two brothers. One of his brothers John Law Beetholme (1839-1909) was also an artist but became a playwright George Law F. was an articled clerk in the Census of 1851 and followed his father and became a solicitor, but was also listed as both a solicitor and an artist in the 1861 Census, when he was living at 1 Millman Street, Holborn, with his wife Jane, nee Whinham (1834-1911), who he had married in 1856 and his son, confusingly also called George Law Francis Beetholme (1857-1887).

His son George Jr. was also listed as an artist at 18 Little James Street, along with his father as a solicitor in the street directory for 1882, however, by 1899, after George Jr. had died two years earlier, George Senior was living at 47 Huntingdon Street, Islington with his wife Jane and listed as a landscape artist. We cannot find an exact year of his death, but he and Jane appeared in the 1901 Census.

George exhibited from 1847-1890 at the Royal Academy, the British Institution, Suffolk Steet (RBA) and elsewhere. His landscapes at the RA were mainly scenes in Scotland, but he was known for painting landscapes containing waterfalls in both Wales and Scotland. His son George Jr. who was a still life (fruit) and landscape painter exhibited 1878-1886 at Suffolk Street, prior to his untimely death.

He is listed in the Dictionary of British Artists (Collectors' Club) and The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood. His auction results can be found at the usual sites and there are 42 listings for his oils and watercolours at artprice.com.

The painting is newly framed in a 3 1/2 inch swept, ornate gilt frame. It will be supplied with new brass hangers, new brass picture wire and will be ready to hang.

Image size: 29 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches - 75cm x 39.5cm

Frame size: 35 5/8 x 25 5/8 inches - 90.5cm x 65cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. The canvas is clean and taut and there is some craquelure. There are five small repairs to the canvas but there is no paint loss. There are no stretcher marks. The frame is new.