Featured 19th century? Any ideas on artist??

Hi all, my mother found this old work, looks Victorian but no idea who. Has stamp for Winsor and Newton (makers of the canvas) and the frame has old timber dowels or pegs holding corners together. No signature but appears original oil painting. Any ideas on when, when, where? Many thanks

 

Both the fame and the canvas maker's stamp are helpful for dating. Could/would you post photographs? I should add that, without a signature, it's extremely unlikely that you will be able to identify the artist. But the subject is a common one for late Victorian genre paintings.

Debora

 

Hi, thanks, I forgot to take a pic of back when I was there today but it’s pretty identical to this one I found online. Same backstamp although more faded and same dowels or pegs but in all four corners. Oh and no frame just canvas on stretcher like this one is.

 

The National Gallery maintains a database of British artists' suppliers. Here is a link. In the Winsor & Newton entry you will want to find when the firm traded under the name "Winsor & Newton" and were located at Rathbone Place. That will give you bracket dates for your painting.

https://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/directory-of-suppliers/w/

Debora

 

The firm is still in existence and has a history on its web site. It was founded on Rathbone Place in 1832 and changed its name (to Winsor & Newton Ltd.) in 1881. That gives you preliminary bracket dates.

https://www.winsornewton.com/na/heritage/our-history/

Debora

 

Here are the firm's canvas stamps, also from The National Gallery. They should help you narrow dates.

https://www.npg.org.uk/assets/files/pdf/research/artists_materials_10_Winsor.pdf

Debora

 

Thanks I’ll check it out, really appreciate it

 

Giving the list a cursory look... It appears your painting dates from 1896 to 1905. You will want to compare yours for yourself and confirm.

 

This is actually not a photograph of OP's back of painting, but said to be "pretty identical" so maybe not exactly identical. I do think it's old, as you think - Victorian.

If you buy it, be sure to photograph all of the details, the sides and the back, closeups of the paint on the front, and return to this thread to show us. We hope there will be a signature on it somewhere...

 

I’ve posted the actual back but as you can see the canvas maker stamp very faint. I looked on angle and can see bit more. I’ve posted below what I think lines up best. Second line ends in CANVAS. Any further ideas appreciated

 

Looking at how letters I can see align my bet is this one

 

It was bought in Australia so wondering if brought out here or an English artist that moved here?? But I’ve also noticed the red blanket appears quite a bit in work of John Emms - any chance it could be by him or maybe someone copying him??

 

I think the best descriptor of your work would be "Late Victorian British genre scene of cats and a dog." It certainly doesn't have the quality of Emms work nor the sensibility. (He painted portraits of animal subjects which is why his work is so valued.)

Debora

 

Compared to to size of the cats, that is one tiny dog

 

Thanks Debora, makes sense to me

 

Am assuming a puppy

 

Also small for a puppy. I am wondering if it is an amateur painter?

 

I think what makes the puppy look small is the fact that the cat's back is so arched in the aggressive pose. The kittens are a lot smaller than the puppy. I know when my cat used to arch her back like that she nearly doubled in size. Could be what is going on.

Edit: Just noticed that the first photo posted is sort of leaning away from the camera. The second photo in post 10 shows the painting more evenly and the scale looks better.

Can't help with the painter, but antique oil paintings with cats or dogs do pretty well where I live.

 

Yes, a very appealing subject. Would have been nice to see the frame.

Debora