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Description
William Davis of Liverpool (1812) portrait of Ben Nevis (I think looking from the North). Oil on card 38 by 29cm image.
I purchased this at an estate sale in Liverpool. One can see the monogram WD to the lower right, after one takes the painting out of the frame and mount. Typical of Davis, it is very small and at the bottom of his paintings. It is an amazing find, as the monogram can't be seen as it is now, and as I found it, because it is below the current mount. The most recent owners appear not to have known the artist. Just appreciating the painting in its' own right; irrelevant of its' wider historic context. Previously, at some time in the painting's history, it appears that the painting was mounted so as to show the WD monogram as evidenced by slight marks/border on the painting where the previous larger mount was. (the mounting as I found it and as is still evident on the auctioneer's archive; is as shown above with the painting in its' most recent mount/frame)
I purchased this at an estate sale in Liverpool. One can see the monogram WD to the lower right, after one takes the painting out of the frame and mount. Typical of Davis, it is very small and at the bottom of his paintings. It is an amazing find, as the monogram can't be seen as it is now, and as I found it, because it is below the current mount. The most recent owners appear not to have known the artist. Just appreciating the painting in its' own right; irrelevant of its' wider historic context. Previously, at some time in the painting's history, it appears that the painting was mounted so as to show the WD monogram as evidenced by slight marks/border on the painting where the previous larger mount was. (the mounting as I found it and as is still evident on the auctioneer's archive; is as shown above with the painting in its' most recent mount/frame)
Davis was the most highly esteemed of the 'Liverpool School' of landscape painters and was highly regarded by Ford Madox Brown and Rosetti.
One can see that this is a romantic rendition of the mountain, befitting of Davis, with a highly detailed and naturalistic setting typical of the Pre-Raphaelite and in particular his earlier work which more drew upon the demands of exactitude of detail demanded by the Pre-Raphaelite, however giving way to a more impressionistic edifice, toward which his later work tended, that makes the mountain stand out as somewhat surreal. One can imagine King Arthur in the setting, but rather Davis has used his romantic, finely detailed foreground to frame the mountain. One can see the characteristic way Davis depicts the water in discrete rivulets and channels as it falls over rocks in the river, also seen in other of Davis' paintings.
One can see that this is a romantic rendition of the mountain, befitting of Davis, with a highly detailed and naturalistic setting typical of the Pre-Raphaelite and in particular his earlier work which more drew upon the demands of exactitude of detail demanded by the Pre-Raphaelite, however giving way to a more impressionistic edifice, toward which his later work tended, that makes the mountain stand out as somewhat surreal. One can imagine King Arthur in the setting, but rather Davis has used his romantic, finely detailed foreground to frame the mountain. One can see the characteristic way Davis depicts the water in discrete rivulets and channels as it falls over rocks in the river, also seen in other of Davis' paintings.
The fact of Davis being a pre-eminent landscape painter of his day strongly suggests that somewhere out there ....there is also a portrait of Snowdon, perhaps in private hands, which would make a nice companion to the present painting.
One might wish to further secure the picture in its frame and re-mount it to include Davis' monogram. One can see on the painting, a line, not visible as it is currently mounted, where a previous larger mount included the artists' monogram on the visible image.
The frame does have losses whilst the painting is in very good condition, simply marked Ben Nevis on the reverse. (please note that there are some reflections in the picture of the glazed painting)
One might wish to further secure the picture in its frame and re-mount it to include Davis' monogram. One can see on the painting, a line, not visible as it is currently mounted, where a previous larger mount included the artists' monogram on the visible image.
The frame does have losses whilst the painting is in very good condition, simply marked Ben Nevis on the reverse. (please note that there are some reflections in the picture of the glazed painting)
Please Note - ebay stipulates that in the EU, import duties and handling charges are the responsibility of the buyer; as they are beyond our control.
