William Collins (1788–1847) - Early 19th Century Oil Rock Pool Fishing

Description

A charming early 19th century coastal scene, attributed to the renowned and accomplished British artist, William Collins (1788–1847). The scene shows three young boys with a basket and pole, fishing in a small tidal pool on a beach. The waves roll in in the distance and a warm light falls on the cliffs to the left. The scene is typical of the artist's composition and even uses recurring characters found in the artist's other works, including the young boy in linen smock and red hat. The brushwork, style, composition and subject matter are all typical of the artist. While the painting is unsigned, this is not unusual for Collins's work as the artist often left works unsigned. The painting has been presented in a 20th Century gilt frame with a gilt plaque at the lower edge with the attributed artist's name and dates. On canvas.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration. There is some craquelure to the surface. There are several small canvas repairs to the reverse which have been restored at the front. Some of the over painting is visible.

Size

42 x 52.3cm (16.5" x 20.6")
Framed Size: 53.2 x 63.7cm (20.9" x 25.1")

Artist Biography

(b London, 18 Sept. 1788; d London, 17 Feb. 1847). English painter. He was initially taught by Morland (of whom his father, a picture dealer, wrote a biography) and specialized in sentimental rustic landscapes and genre scenes that won him great popularity. As with Morland, his work became very repetitive. He was a lifelong friend of Wilkie, after whom he named his elder son, the novelist Wilkie Collins, who published a biography of his father in 1848. His second son was Charles Allston Collins (b Hampstead, Middlesex [now in London], 25 Jan. 1828; d London, 9 Apr. 1873), a friend of Millais and painter of the well-known Convent Thoughts (1851, Ashmolean Mus., Oxford), which John Ruskin rated highly because of its botanical detail, done in a fastidious Pre-Raphaelite manner.

Tall and handsome but dismally lacking in self-confidence and plagued by emotional problems, Collins abandoned painting in 1858 and took up writing, publishing three novels among other works. In 1860 he married Charles Dickens's younger daughter, Kate.