Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely watercolour by the artist Mrs. H. Champion, which may have been exhibited at the Royal Academy. The painting depicts an Italian girl, with dark hair parted in the middle, wearing a typical folded linen headdress of the Roman region. She has long gold earrings, a locket on a ribbon around her neck, as well as a string of beads. She is wearing a full sleeved white blouse, under a tight maroon bodice and overskirt and an apron, and in her hands she has a rosary. She is leaning against a wall, over which some green and cream striped material has been thrown.

Mrs. H. Champion, who exhibited between 1868 and 1885, is, unfortunately, one of those highly regarded artists about whom little is known, other than that she was a talented watercolour figure painter.

After researching the Census records and Births, Marriage and Death registrations, we have discovered that she was Mrs. Henry Francis Noble Champion and her own christian names were Antonia Charlotte. She was born Antonia Charlotte Richter on the 18th August, 1823 in Marylebone, London. She married Henry Champion in 1853, but she was widowed a year later in 1854. In 1861, she is listed as a widow of 37, living on an annuity and of independent means at 8 Devonshire Terrace, St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington. By 1881 she was living at 14 Minford Gardens, West Kensington, with her brother and sister and she was still living at there at her death in 1896 aged 72.

She exhibited 85 paintings at London exhibitions during her career, including 4 at the Royal Academy, titles at the RA include 'Meditation', 'Baby' and 'An Italian Girl'. It is possible that this is that very painting! She also exhibited 33 watercolours at Suffolk Street, 4 at the New Watercolour Society and 42 at other London exhibitions. She also exhibited 5 paintings at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and 5 at the Manchester City Art Gallery.

Her work seems only rarely to come to the market in recent years, despite the quantity that she painted, but when they do, they command high prices. For example-

'Summer Idleness' Watercolour Christie's 2007 £600

'Fisherman's Daughter' Watercolour Bonhams Edinburgh May 2004 £528

" " "
W. H. Lane September 2004 £1,600

'Hesitation' Watercolour Christie's 2010 £1,375

She is listed in The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood and The Dictionary of British Artists (Collector's Club) and confirms the Minford Gardens address. However, her auction records are shown on various sites as both Mrs. A. Champion and Mrs. H. Champion, either because she entered her work in exhibitions as Mrs. H. Champion and signed them A. Champion, or because they mistook her capital A for an H, as it is very difficult to tell with her style of writing.

The painting has been newly double mounted in acid free mountboard and is newly framed in a 2" gilt frame to suit. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size 14 7/8" x 10 3/4" - 37.75cm x 27.25cm

Frame size 24 1/2" x 20 1/4" - 62.2cm x 51.4cm

Medium Watercolours

Condition Very good. There is no foxing and the colours are strong The mounts and frame are new.