Info for G. Whitehead

Hello! Im looking for information on this painting. It appears to say G. Whitehead in the bottom corner aswell as 1903. Or possibly 1908. Given where it was acquired it is very possibly from a German artist. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated!

 

This is an amateur work in my opinion.

 

naive art, primitive, innocent times

 

Isn't that charming! Why don't you tell us why you think artist might be German. And please post a photograph of the work's back including frame.

Debora

 

What size is this painting?

 

It came from an aggressively German household is my reasoning the canvas was made in London though so im very possibly wrong.

 

15"x8"

 

It came from an aggressively German household is my reasoning the canvas was made in London though so im very possibly wrong.

 

And yet they have a canvas by a painter with the extremely English name G. Whitehead (not even Weisskopf)....

 

Please show a few real close ups of the back of the canvas where it is nailed, so I can see what type of fabric this is. The edges of the back are not exactly what I expected to see in a hundred year old painting. It appears to have been painted on a piece of pre-gessoed fabric, which I doubt would have existed a hundred years ago. The edges seem too straight, as though the fabric was fabricated this way, please show close ups.

It also appears to have had a repair..

Is there an oval ink stamp on the back? . 8x15"

 

It appears to have been repaired in London?

What does that stamp say?

 

REC... & SON

 

'REEVES & SONS'

~Cheryl

 

No Ltd. so, if this is correct, the canvas could be no earlier than 1890.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reeves_and_Sons

Debora

Reeves and Sons is an English artists' supplies firm established by William Reeves (1739–1803) in 1766. The firm went through various name changes during its history:

• Thomas Reeves and Son 1784-1799
• W. J. Reeves 1799-1800
• Reeves and Woodyer 1800-1816
• Reeves, Woodyer and Reeves 1817-1818
• W. J. Reeves and Son 1819-1829
• Reeves and Sons 1830-1890
• Reeves and Sons Ltd 1891-1976

Debora

 

Well, it looks to me that it is a pre-gessoed (prefabricated) canvas. What year would that have become popular? Just because I've not seen one a hundred years old, doesn't mean it wasn't sold back then. Does anyone know.

 

Though a bit unclear, it's marked as a 'PREPARED CANVAS', and pre-primed canvases were available from suppliers decades before the 1890+ dating for this particular stamp. The National Portrait Gallery notes this form mark as in use for 45 years past 1890 (believe the tape residue is obscuring the small 'LIMITED' below the name):





~Cheryl

 

An excellent example of why we ask for good quality, close-up photographs of the stickers, labels, stamps, handwritten notations, etc. found on the back of paintings.

Debora

 

Thank you so much, Cheryl.

Indeed, Debora, thanks.