Framed English Regency Hand-Colored Boy Fishing After Richard Westall, Dated 1812

Details

Description

An atmospheric English Regency work depicting a young boy beside a wooded stream, based on Richard Westall's composition A Boy … Read more An atmospheric English Regency work depicting a young boy beside a wooded stream, based on Richard Westall's composition A Boy Angling. The boy kneels at the water's edge beneath dramatically scaled trees, his fishing rod extending across the stream and a woven fishing basket resting beside him.
The towering trees, softly rendered landscape and diminutive figure give the scene an almost storybook quality. Particularly appealing is the restrained palette of blue-green, soft green, cream and warm brown.
Westall's A Boy Angling was published in London in 1802 by John and Josiah Boydell, engraved by William Nutter and Thomas Gaugain. This example is extensively worked in watercolor. An accompanying early card is inscribed “The Boy Out Fishing M. Wright February 27th 1812 No. 5.” The precise relationship of M. Wright to the work has not been established. The work may be an early printed impression extensively finished in watercolor or a period watercolor copy after Westall's published composition.
The framing is particularly handsome. The work is set within a wide mat edged with gilt detailing, which provides an elegant transition between the soft colors of the image and the gilt frame. The quality of the framing gives the scene considerable presence and is true to its early 19th-century character.
A charming image of childhood and country life, combining the appeal of an English sporting subject with the romantic, imaginative quality of the period.
Frame dimensions:
Height: 14 3/8 In.
Width: 20 1/8 In.
Depth: 7/8 In.
Sight: 9 ½ In. x 12 ½ In. See less