Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are pleased to offer for sale this very large oil on canvas by the artist CLARENCE HENRY ROE, who has signed the painting Clarence Roe in the lower right hand corner. The painting depicts a winter landscape with mountain in a mountainous region, with a lake or loch in the foreground. There is a stand of dark conifers to the left, and the edges of the lake or loch appear to be frozen. There is a flock of seagulls flying over the water. There is a shaft of light from the left that is silhouetting the conifers and brightening the far edges of the lake, but it appears that dusk or low cloud is descending. We are not aware of the location of this quite dramatic painting, but it may well be in Snowdonia in Wales, a favourite haunt of the artist, the Lake District, or Scotland.

CLARENCE HENRY ROE, 1850-1909, was the son of Robert Henry Roe (c. 1823 -1905) and Emma Baily, the daughter of the sculptor of the statue of Nelson on Nelson's column Edward Hodges Baily (1788-1867) His grandfather Robert Roe (1793-1880), was an engraver, picture restorer and print seller. His two brothers, Colin Graeme (1856-1910) and Robert Ernest (1852-1930), were also listed artists. Another brother Herbert Percy Roe (1853-1883) was also supposedly an artist, although we can't find any auction listings for his work and his sister Eva Constance who was born in 1859 listed herself as a portrait artist. Some Dictionaries state that Clarence was born in Glasgow and some that he was born in Birmingham, which is actually correct and in the second quarter of 1850. Professor Dennis Child, in his book Painters in the Northern Counties of England and Wales states that he spent most of his time living a Bohemian life in his studio in Yorkshire. He was a great raconteur, womaniser and drinker.

In 1871, he was living at 29 Devonshire Road, Islington, London, listed as an artist and with his wife Almina Theresa nee Sherborne born 1853, who he had married in 1870 and they had a daughter, also called Almina (1871-1901). Although we cannot trace a divorce or her death, he married again in 1875, Rosa Adelaide Hulme born 1858, who divorced him in 1878, with the divorce finalised in 1879. In 1881, he married for a third time, Ellen F. Fletcher born 1845. We cannot find Clarence listed in the Census records again until 1901, where he was listed with his wife Ellen and 3 daughters, Amy, Ivy and Marie Louise, born in Scarborough in 1891, living at 26 Airlie Avenue, Potter Newton, Leeds and listed as a landscape artist. By the way, this house is still standing and can be viewed on google maps. In the intermediate years, he was living and had a studio in the Lake District and in Scarborough, which some of his children list as their birth town. In June 1883, he saved his brother Colin Roe from drowning off the beach at Scarborough.

In the Census of 1891, we did find a listing for Ellen, who was living in a hotel in Scarborough with a son, Arthur P. Roe born 1881, Amy E. Roe, born 1888, Ivy G. Roe, born 1890 and a 14 year old servant. The last two girls were born in Harrogate, while Arthur was born in London.

We also found in the newspaper archives that he petitioned for bankruptcy in 1883 in Scarborough with liabilities of £1,800 and in 1886 at Kendal in the Lake District with liabilities of £800. It would seem that, although exceedingly talented, he would only work when he felt like it and although being well paid for his paintings in the earlier years, towards the end of his life he worked to live and was reliant upon alcohol.

Having suffered a stroke in early 1908, he died in the Menston Asylum in Ilkley on the 12th November 1909, at the young age of 59. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the grounds of the Asylum's chapel in Buckle Lane. The Asylum which became High Royds Hospital finally closed in 2003.

He exhibited two paintings at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1887, but obviously did not need to exhibit his work constantly in order to make a living. He was a very prolific painter of Highland scenes, Lake District landscapes and marine scenes, sometimes including animals and birds, particularly eagles. Some of his work bears considerable similarity to that of his father.

His auction results may be viewed at artprice.com (445 listings), artnet.com (166), findartinfo.com (111), askart.com (173) and arcadja.com (222). In 2006, 8 of his oils were sold by Bonhams of Knowle at prices ranging from £260 - £4,800. He is listed in the Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood, the Dictionary of British Artists and Painters in the Northern Counties of England and Wales by Dennis Child.

The painting is newly framed in a 4 1/2 inch bronze/gilt frame. It will be supplied wired with new brass D ring hangers, brass picture wire and will be ready to hang.

Image size: 35 3/8 x 23 1/2 inches - 89.9cm x 59.7cm

Frame size: 44 3/8 x 32 1/2 inches - 112.7cm x 82.55cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. The canvas is clean and taut and there are no repairs. There is some very fine craquelure to the water of the lake just below the conifers and only slight stretcher marks consistent with age. The frame is relatively new.