Portraits
The market for portraits has always been constant and perhaps this infers portraits
sit outside the influences and changes in fashion. Celebrated British portrait painters
like Gainsborough, Hogarth, Reynolds, Romney,
Lawrence, Raeburn, Wright of Derby and John Opie
are well known to many.
A portrait attributed to Robert Byng of a 'Boy in Blue', which realised £4,800 at
auction (FS8/251).
Important works by these are rare and largely documented and within collections.
But good interesting portraits across the board from the 17th to the 19th Century
are surprisingly plentiful and Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood are fortunate to
have and sell more than a fair share. Typical catalogue entries for portraits would
by Circle of Cornelius Johnson or Spanish School or Anglo/Indian
School for example.
Circle of Mary Beale. Portrait of a lady, bust-length. Sold for £2,700 at auction
(FS15/236).
Careful research can reveal the names of sitters and strengthen attributions to
artists, for in many cases portraits arrive for sale with little associated information.
It is often the case that the vendor, who may have grown-up with or inherited the
portrait, is wiser about who made it, or who the sitter is! This is the challenge
and is what can make an interesting portrait into a discovered portrait which may
end up hanging in the National Portrait Gallery or be bought and exhibited with
a Fine Art Portrait Dealer, such as Philip Mould in Dover Street.
Specialists