The Antiques Hound has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.
A rustic outbuilding occupies the left foreground, whilst an English country house sits upon the distant horizon beneath a subdued twilight sky. The loose, expressive brushwork and characterful rendering give the composition a wonderfully evocative sense of Georgian rural life.
Signed and dated lower right: "W Williams Pinxit 1791".
The painting is attributed to William Williams of Norwich (fl. 1758–1797), an itinerant British painter and etcher who enjoyed an active professional career during the second half of the 18th century. He worked in several important artistic centres, including Norwich, Manchester, London and Bath, and exhibited regularly at both the Royal Academy and the Society of Artists between 1770 and 1792. His varied work encompassed portraiture, pastoral landscapes and rural genre scenes. His time in Bath is of particular local interest, placing him within the artistic and cultural circles of Georgian England's fashionable West Country city.
The painting's loose provincial handling, stylised anatomical treatment of the horse and execution on a wooden support are consistent with the character of Williams's known work. His paintings are represented in notable collections, including the National Museum of Wales, St Andrew's Hall, Norwich, and Linley Hall, Shropshire.
A particularly appealing example of Georgian provincial animal portraiture, with strong folk-art character and considerable period charm. An attractive piece for collectors of early equestrian and sporting art, 18th-century British painting and historical horse portraiture.
Framing & Presentation
Presented in a bespoke, hand-finished ebonised wooden frame, beautifully complimenting the painting. Ready to display.
Dimensions
Panel: 51.5cm x 37cm x 0.7cm (approximately 20.2" x 14.5")
Overall framed: 61.5cm x 48.5cm x 2cm (approximately 24.2" x 19.1")
Condition Report
The painting is in very good, stable condition for its considerable age. Executed on a single 0.7cm-thick slab of seasoned pine, the panel retains its natural historical grain and displays some light age-related curvature, but remains structurally sound without splits. Minor stable craquelure and an attractive historic surface patina are consistent with a painting of over 230 years of age. The bespoke frame is in immaculate condition, and the painting is ready to hang.
The Antiques Hound has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.
Dealing in compact georgian and later furniture and original paintings
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Georgian Equestrian Portrait of a Chestnut Stallion – Attributed to William Williams of Norwich (Fl. 1758–1797)
