Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is a wonderful oil painting on canvas by the renowned Northumberland artist George Blackie Sticks, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner and dated it 1875. The painting depicts a view of The Lilburn Tower at Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland. The Lilburn Tower was so named after John de Lilburn, who was Constable of the castle in the early to mid 1300s and stands on a sheer cliff, as pictured. There are two figures on the rocks, hauling in a broken spar or mast by a rope. The base of the cliffs is misty from the spray of the waves hitting the rocks. It is a superb painting by a master.

George Blackie Sticks 1843-c. 1900, was the most famous of the Sticks family of artists, which include his father James Sticks, 1813-?, his brother William Sticks, his brother Andrew James Sticks, his brother Henry Sticks 1845-1878, his nephews Harry Sticks 1867-1938 and William Sticks Jr., and his own sons George Edward Sticks 1864-1938 and Christian J. Sticks 1872-1912. We do not know the exact year of George Blackie's death, as it was not registered, but have found no painting dated after 1898 and we know that he was in poor health towards the end of his life, which restricted his paintings to relatively local views. Sadly it would appear that both of his sons died aged 40.

George Blackie Sticks was born in Newcastle, where he lived throughout his life, and trained as a stained glass designer in the factory of William Wailes, where other members of the family also worked. He studied painting under William Bell Scott at the Government School of Art in Newcastle before becoming a full time artist. He painted in oils, scenes of the North East, then Scotland and the Lake District and painted many scenes including castles.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy as well as in the provinces.

There are 13 of his paintings in the National Collection, which can be viewed at BBC - Your Paintings and is represented at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, the Shipley AG in Gateshead, the Mercer AG in Harrogate, Mansion House in Newcastle, South Shields Museum and AG, Victoria AG, the Hatton Gallery and North Tyneside Council.

The painting has been newly framed in an ornate 3 1/4" gilt frame and slip and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size 17 1/2" x 11 1/2" - 44.5cm x 29.2cm

Frame size 24" x 18" - 61cm x 45.75cm

Medium Oils on canvas

Condition The canvas has been wax lined some time in the previous century. The canvas is clean and taut and has no craquelure, paint loss or stretcher marks. There are a few slightly darker marks in a broken vertical line to the centre right edge of the painting, probably caused by the lining. Other than this the painting is in very good condition and the frame is new.