Help Please Artist and age

Hi All

I have just found this in an auction, can any one help identify the age, title , content, and artist.

My first thoughts are the blue writing is Latin, first word victoria ( victory) ?

Is the boy, French navy, or whaler .

The monogram on first impressions looks like r s g, it also has a very small circle underneath and the bottom of the G or C also has a circle around it.

it’s small panel 1/2 Cm wood, 12 x 14 cms.

woukd love to here any ideas or thoughts, I’ve spent a day researching and no idea

thank you

 

What makes you think either?
I have no idea of the orientation of the writing, so I'll just post the boy.

 

Thanks for looking

Only that his hat reminded me of the french navy red top bobble, and the smoke in the background, is it a lost battle or a whaler, as they wore those sorts of watch hats, tbh, I have no idea ?

thanks

 

A stormcloud maybe?
It looks like he is inspecting the contents of a net or netted bag. Maybe the kind of net cockle pickers use?

 

Christian, forgive my manners, welcome to the forum.

 

Thanks, yes it could be cockle winkle net, the fire is because it seems to be rising from behind him, and the hat still looks a bit military? I’ll see if I can find a period net in net.

thanks again

 

I don't see anything military. He appears to be a child laborer wearing a smock-frock. (Funny. When your work was painted, his occupation would have been instantly recognizable to the viewer.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smock-frock

Debora

 

Hi Debora

Thanks and yes it does look smocklike and probably more fishing than military, I initially thought shield and lance, but the hat is still a mystery..

anybody hazard a guess you age artist ?
Thanks

 

Well, why don't you give us more information, Christian. In what part of the world did you find it? No frame? Nothing written or applied to back? Could/would you post a photograph of back? Could/would you post a photograph of the entire front without cropping? And post signature as Full Image in its proper orientation?

Debora

 

I agree re cockle picking. It's not an uncommon subject.

Debora

 

Thanks Debora

I found it In Warwick UK, I’ve attached, was unframed small, 12x 14cms.

The signature / monogram is to the lower left of the boy in Brown paint and looks like T s G, it is over the blue writing which is runs almost horizontally along the boys cloak.

I’ll try and get some better images.

Thanks

Christian

 

Christian, please go back and post your additional photographs as Full Image. Then members will be able to see them easily. I've done the first as an example.

Also I want to point out -- with the kindest of intentions -- how important it is to show full, uncropped works. Now, the fire or storm cloud that we were positing appears to more likely be a rocky seaside protuberance or cave wall. Changes the entire context of the image and would have saved us all a lot of thought and effort in trying to help you identify your painting.

Debora

 

Now that the signature is oriented the correct way, it appears the artist's intitials are VSC. The first name may be Victor.

Debora

 

I should add that it's a very charming image. It's a genre scene and - as most things are these days -- likely to be late-Victorian. But you bought it at auction. How did the auction house identify it?

Debora

 

Thanks for that I thought it was lovely hence bought it.

• Early 19th century continental school,A portrait of a boy,signed indistinctly,oil on panel,12 x 14 cm

This was their description.

you couldn’t see the signature at all I have cleaned it up today the picture as it was last night below.

thanks again for all your help, still can’t find and V S G victors.

I thought it may be pre Victorian, not sure why, I suppose I’m main to his attire.

 

I don't mean to be unkind but... What did you clean it up with? Doesn't appear to have done it any favors.

Debora

 

Just warm water no soaps or detergent

 

I buy lots of art about 10 pictures a week, this one has just flummoxed me, as I couldn’t place the boy as hat looks very much 17th sailor (Watch hat) And initially I thought it to appear spear and old shield, when you said looking in the basket, and the mention of cockles makes much more sense.
I’m really grateful thank you, for all your help.

guess I’ll not find out the artist, but you’ve all been very helpful

 

Your cleaning appears to have damaged the paint...at least to my eye.

 

Bitumen ground so mid to late 19thc - also amateur artist