Featured Any experts on English 19th century paintings?

I need some help on this to ID artist, and to maybe proffer some insight as to whether it is genuine. I am a novice here!

Early 19th century English school, oil on canvas (so I bought as).

Measures 51.5 cm x 62cm. Unframed.

Bought online in UK.

There does appear to be a signature lower right hand side, but I can't make out what it might be.

It does need some restoration, but before I lay out hundreds, I'd like to try and find out whether worth it first.

 

Well, that's a sad little scene. Unusual shackles. Fagin is wearing what appears to be an identical pair here.

Debora

 

It is a little sad, but even in its rather poor condition, something in it called out to me!

 

You can have it restored, but I wonder if you will ever do more than get back the cost of restoration.

Has it been relined? The corner almost looks like the picture is on a substrate that has been laid onto the present canvas.



Not sure.

Early Victorian?

Debtor's prison?

 

It does appear to be an early Victorian British genre painting. Would you post a photograph of the frame? They provide lots of information. And what's written on the back besides "Top?"

Debora

 

A substrate? Sorry, you are talking to a novice here! Do you mean painted on a layer and then laid on canvas? If so, yes, it does look like that.

I thought a debtors prison. It makes me wonder what he had done, and how the couple are related - husband and wife, lovers, brother and sister?

 

Nothing else as I recall other than 'top' and something next to it on right... 'Do'? I will try and get some better images tomorrow - it's currently 3am here and I'm in bed!

 

Yes, a trimmed canvas glued on top of another canvas. If so, it looks like the original canvas is a lot finer than the canvas it is now attached to. I don't know restoration costs, but it looks like there's a lot of work needed there.

 

I would think debtor's prison too as respectable people. And wife, I'd think.

Debora

 

Do you a blacklight/ultraviolet light by chance? If so, go in a dark room and go over the painting with a blacklight. The light really helps detect overpainting, repairs and floating signatures. Bluish-white spots indicate the presence of lining compound, dark bluish-violet indicates picture repair putty and very small blue dots are dust. A chartreuse haze indicates old varnish, which is what you hope to see, because it shows that no recent restoration work has been done.

 

It looks to me like the view from the back is of the original canvas because of the color and repairs. I suspect, just enough canvas, was added to the edges to stretch it. The last 2 characters by what looks like a signature, appear to be a date. 82? 83?
My opinion on restoration is, do it if you like the painting. I don’t think you would recover the cost, unless the artist is someone important.

 

So, after having another closer look at frame...

1. pic of the front edge where you can see a layer on top of canvas.

2-3. The word 'Top' written at top of back frame.

4. Then what I hadn't noticed before, bottom of frame at back, something not written but looks more like carved or etched in, a name 'Nicol'? and possibly a date - 1937? 1837?

I have found this painter from period, an Erskine Nicol.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erskine_Nicol

 

Thank you, yes, see my above post and pic, that is what it looks like.

 

Thank you, that is useful to know! Where would I get such a light suitable for purpose?

 

I have a couple of blacklights that are in flashlight form which makes it a lot easier to use then the old fashion wall light for illuminating black light posters (circa 1970/80's). These wonderful lights are instrumental in dealing with fine art but also detect repairs in porcelain, glass etc. https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop...t=&hvlocphy=9060223&hvtargid=pla-599137226764

 

Right era, his type of subject but doesn't look like the work of Erskine Nicol.

Debora

 

Agreed

 

I also wondered about the name - if that's what it is - being on the wood part, as it doesn't appear same as what is possibly on front at bottom. And do artists inscribe in such a way?

Not saying E Nicol is painter - that would be too much to hope for! - but just found it. He did have two sons who became painters too.

 

If I was cataloguing this painting I’d be tempted with ‘circle of Richard Redgrave’. The artwork isn’t quite up to the man himself but the timing and subject matter – the enigmatic wife dealing with the anguish of the condemned man (what’s she really thinking?!) – seems right. He was very influential in the mid 19th century.

 

Have you tried brushing baby powder or cinnamon into the incised name? You could also try to do a rubbing with pencil and paper. Might give you a better idea at least what the name is.