19th Century British Art

A look at highlights from dealers and summer auctions in the UK.

A late Victorian oil on canvas depicting steam ships on the Thames at Wapping drew a protracted bidding battle at Ramsay Cornish’s (20% buyer’s premium) recent Homes & Interiors auction in Edinburgh.

Philip Mould’s exhibition 'A Brush with Fashion: 500 Years of Male Portraiture' includes this 1869 portrait of James Whistler, the American Gilded Age painter, by Walter Greaves (1846- 1930).

Street view by British artist offered in Orientalist sale sells at four times estimate

Group of 12 offered in Cambridge saleroom comprised mainly 18th century British works

Two views of historic British landmarks by John Martin (1789-1854) attracted interest in different parts of the country.

Scottish artist Joseph Farquharson (1846-1935) is best known for his snowy landscapes with sheep that earned him the nickname ‘Frozen Mutton Farquharson’.

A number of portraits of women from different periods of history were among the most contested pictures at sales around the country in the early part of this year.

A couple of elegant portraits from the collection of Professor Bernard Nevill (1930-2019) drew keen interest at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium).

Although an artist may not have wide recognition, strong local links can compensate

Local appeal propelled a naïve painting of Farnham to 40-times its top estimate at Parker Fine Art Auctions’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest sale.

In ATG 2530, you featured a view of the Doge’s Palace by Samuel Prout that I purchased at Chorley’s on January 25. Your report mentioned John Ruskin’s admiration for Prout which was a key reason behind my decision to buy the work.

When dealer Ian Walker was a child, his father gave him £5, which he promptly spent on a small, signed watercolour by Yorkshire artist George Weatherill (1810-90) he found in a Whitby antiques shop.

A painting of the Battle of Trafalgar containing “one of the most important portraits of Nelson on the market in years” will be on offer in Chelsea.

Works also sold in Penzance but not for six figures help to understand this market

A couple of dog portraits by leading Victorian canine painter John Emms (1844-1912) brought a flurry of bids at separate auctions held just a day apart.

A rare opportunity to gauge the market for a major Newlyn School painting came at David Lay’s latest auction in Penzance when a lively and clamorous scene by Stanhope Forbes (1857-1947) was offered with a £120,000-180,000 estimate.