Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering this oil on canvas by the artist SIDNEY Y. JOHNSON, who has signed the painting with his usual scratched out signature in the lower left hand corner and dated it 1902. The painting depicts a view of the sea crashing upon the rocks below some tall cliffs. Numerous sea birds are wheeling around above the waves.

SIDNEY Y. JOHNSON, who flourished from 1890-1926, was an extremely prolific painter, principally in oil, of highland landscapes, river scenes and marine/coastal works. However, as he obviously did not exhibit his works as he is not listed in any of the standard reference books for the period, there is little known about him. He painted much in the style of Frank Hider and F. E. Jamieson and joins Jack Ducker, and Jamieson (including his many pseudonyms) in being very much a mystery artist. To quote from Jeremy Wood's excellent book 'Hidden Talents'.........

'A prolific painter of landscapes in oil who was working from about 1890 until about 1926. His work has a distinctive style and is similar to that of Frank Hider. The subjects are often in pairs and usually Cornish coastal scenes, beach scenes, highland landscapes and cottages in a rural setting. The artist did not often inscribe the work with the location, but it was usually dated, with the signature S. Y. Johnson scratched in the wet paint. He sometimes signed with a monogram.'

After checking census records, we did find a Sidney Johnson who was born in 1864 and died in 1942, who lived in North London. In the census of 1901, he was living at 78 Cavendish Road, Tottenham with his wife Margaret and daughter Violet. In the 1911 census, he ws living at 1 Tivoli Road, Crouch End with his wife and daughter Dorothy. In both instances he was listed as a picture artist or artist. In the 1901 Census it stated that he was born in Ireland, although in the 1911, in stated Tottenham. However, the Irish birth would make sense as we can find no registration for him in England, although his death is registered in 1942.

Auction results for this artist are available from artprice.com (431 listings), findartinfo.com (238), askart.com (38) and arcadja.com (79). His works seem to fetch very high prices in America, where the average price of works of varying sizes appears to be in the region of $1,500, according to what is currently listed on google. Please note he is sometimes listed as Sydney, as well as Sidney. His second name is also given as Yates, although we have found nothing to confirm this.

The painting is framed in a 2 1/8" gilt frame and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 29 1/4 x 17 1/4 inches - 74.4cm x 43.8cm

Frame size: 35 3/4 x 23 5/8 inches - 90.85cm x 60cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. The canvas has been historically relined and there is some slight evidence of previous damage to the centre of the painting, which has been restored. There is no craquelure or stretcher marks. The frame is new. Please note that we have not shown a photo of the back, as there is nothing to see, but one is available on request.