Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander Macdonald.

Name: Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander Macdonald.
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA353079
Availability: SoldOut

1900 - 1920

Sold by Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art

Description

Oil on canvas in good quality carved and giltwood frame, signed and dated 1905 top left.

In this charming Edwardian portrait the two sisters, Eleanor and Margaret Little, are shown in the library of the Vicarage, Sampford Courtenay, near Okehampton, Devon, the house in which they were born.

As if interrupted in their painting of a toy cockerel they look steadily out at us.

In adulthood neither of them had children so this portrait passed to their nanny, the grandmother of the person from whom the previous owner purchased this painting in 2003.

Accompanying the portrait are some photographs of the family, the village and the Vicarage.

ALEXANDER MACDONALD (1839-1921)was a portrait painter. He exhibited 1 painting at the British Institute, 2 at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 11 at the Royal Academy and 1 at the Royal Scottish Academy.

MacDonald probably studied under the noted society portrait artist Sir Hubert von Herkomer RA, RWS, CVO.

Amongst MacDonald's sitters were Frederick Morris Fry, Master of the Merchant Taylors' Company, and the Earl of Lichfield.

SIZE: 31.5 x 37.25 inches inc. frame.

PROVENANCE: see above. VERSO: Old label; 'The Reverend Little. Sampford Courtenay.'

Declaration

Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1900s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA353079

Dealers Internal Reference

8899

Description

Oil on canvas in good quality carved and giltwood frame, signed and dated 1905 top left.

In this charming Edwardian portrait the two sisters, Eleanor and Margaret Little, are shown in the library of the Vicarage, Sampford Courtenay, near Okehampton, Devon, the house in which they were born.

fig 1. Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander MacDonald. — fig 1. Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander Macdonald.

As if interrupted in their painting of a toy cockerel they look steadily out at us.

“

In adulthood neither of them had children so this portrait passed to their nanny, the grandmother of the person from whom the previous owner purchased this painting in 2003.

Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art

fig 2. Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander MacDonald. — fig 2. Double Portrait of Eleanor and Margaret Little 1905, by Alexander Macdonald.

Accompanying the portrait are some photographs of the family, the village and the Vicarage.

ALEXANDER MACDONALD (1839-1921)was a portrait painter. He exhibited 1 painting at the British Institute, 2 at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 11 at the Royal Academy and 1 at the Royal Scottish Academy.