Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are bringing to the market this lovely summery oil on canvas by the artist R. Allan, who has signed the painting Allan in the lower left hand corner and entitled in verso on the stretcher 'White Rock Seaton Devon'. The painting depicts the unusual thing about Seaton Bay, that it has white cliffs at one end and red cliffs at the other. Beer Head is visible in the distance. Along the sandy beach, you can see rows of bathing tents and there are two boats pulled up above the waterline.

This artist is somewhat of a mystery man, who liked to keep people guessing. There are three artists who signed their paintings Allan, but A. Allan and V. Allan, who also signed just Allan, were both painters of river landscapes, but primarily in watercolour. According to Jeremy Wood's book 'Hidden Talents, A Dictionary of Neglected Artists working 1880-1950' and I quote 'R. Allan (fl. 1900s) was a painter in oil of river landscapes, who was working at around the turn of the century. This prolific artist appears to have signed with other initials and sometime just 'Allan'. Many of the subjects were Thames views and often painted in pairs. The work is not usually dated, but the title is often inscribed on the reverse.
As well as the river landscapes, he also painted west country scenes, mostly Devon, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.

There are 36 auctions results listed on findartinfo.com and we have compared the signatures shown with those on this painting and they appear to be the same. There are some older auctions results listed on artnet.com. He is variously listed as R. Allan, Robert Allan and Ronald Allan, although we have been unable to verify his Christian name.

The painting is newly framed in a 3 1/4" silver gilt frame and gilt slip and will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 22 3/4" x 14 3/4" - 57.8cm x 37.5cm

Frame size: 29 3/8" x 21 1/4" - 74.6cm x 54cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good. The canvas is clean and taut and there is no craquelure, stretcher marks or paint loss. The frame and slip are new.