Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this beautiful portrait oil by the artist George Bedford. The painting has been executed on artist's board and is stamped verso Geo. Bedford and he has written on the old backing paper that it is by Geo. Bedford, Headmaster, Torquay Art School, Torway, S. Devon. The painting depicts a young Turkish girl in traditional costume, with a striped headdress. She is wearing earrings and a matching necklace around her neck. She has a pensive expression. This is a little gem of a painting and has great appeal.

Geroge Bedford was born on 17th June, 1849 in Broadhampston near Totnes in Devon. His father was an Ostler at the Royal Hotel in Torquay and the family lived in a house in the yard of the hotel, confirmed by the Censuses of 1851 and 1861. He trained at the Art School in the Vivian Institute of Science & Art in Torquay, under Sydney Morrish the Headmaster. He became as Assistant Master there in 1878 living with his mother at 44 Park Road, St. Marychurch, Torquay, whilst also doing casual work with the Watcombe Pottery. (In the 1871 Census, he was a boarder at the Commercial Hotel in Marychurch and his occupation was listed as a Pottery Modeller.)

By 1881, he had married his wife Maria and had moved to 4 Chatsworth Terrace, Torquay with one servant. He succeeded Sydney Morrish as Headmaster of the Art School in 1884 and, by 1891, has moved to Shrubland, Tor Hill Road, with his sons George H., Richard, daughter Catherine and 2 servants. He was also Headmaster of Newton Abbot Art School and Examiner for the Royal Drawing Society and also lectured on etching and crafts.

By 1901 he had moved to Clarement, Tor Church Road and had gained another daughter Violet Elizabeth Peggy. He travelled to Germany frequently while his eldest daughter Catherine (Kitty) was finishing her education in Dresden.

By 1911, he and his wife, as well as their youngest daughter Violet, were living at Berners Hill, Tor Church Road, Torquay, which was a 13 room detached house, with one servant. He retired in 1918 and died in 1920.

He was know principally as a watercolourist, hence his biography which is listed in The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists by H. L. Mallalieu. Very little of his work appears on the market, but there are four of his oils in the National Collection at Torre Abbey House and Gallery and may be viewed at BBC - Your Paintings.

The painting is framed in its original lacquered pine frame and gilt slip and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 9 1/2" x 6 5/8" - 24.2cm x 16.85cm

Frame size: 15 1/8" x 12 1/8" - 38.4cm x 30.85cm

Medium: Oils on artist's board

Condition: Very good. There has been a slight compression to the bottom left hand corner of the board, which is only just visible when in the frame. The frame has had some woodworm which has been treated as a precaution.