ronsartblog

John Gould artist

Posted on 10/09/2026 by ronald972

You will likely recognise the name #JohnGould because he is, after John James Audubon, the greatest illustrator of birds ever. However, this is not quite accurate. Gould’s speciality was in the drawings and sketches he produced. He was an observer of minutiae, which carried into his drawings the ability to render different species by their characteristics and at a speed that most artists could not duplicate. Gould then passed his drawings to selected fellows to produce finished drawings/watercolours from which lithographs were produced. The whole process always being under his close supervision.

Hirundo Rustica (Barn Swallow) – hand-coloured lithograph by Gould

The finishing of his rough drawings was delegated to his wife Elizabeth as well as other artists, including Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf, and Henry Richter. The lithography was mostly performed by William Hart.

In my collection is a fabulous drawing of the birds seen in the lithograph shown above. The paper has aged and darkened and has a number of age spots on it, as well as a slight discolouration due to the cedar board on the back splitting. The birds are marginally larger than those of the lithograph but otherwise identical. It’s not a rough sketch but a very finely drawn finished work.

Might this be the finished work of #ElizabethGould or #EdwardLear. The work done only in two colours would so easily be copied by a lithographer onto stone.

Posted in Drawings and Sketches, Lithographs | Tagged beaks, birds, caterpillar, feathers, Hirundo Rustica, swallows, wings | Leave a comment

Jean Daullé engraver

Posted on 04/09/2026 by ronald972

If you have read previous chapters of my blog, you will know that I have a weakness for black and white. Whether they be drawings, prints, or photographs. So today, from my collection, we look at a small engraving by #JeanDaullé (1703-1763).

The print has been cut to the oval shape of the main image, which has removed the title and accreditation from along the bottom and the upper corners. It was then set into an oval frame.

Daullé was the son of a silversmith, and at the age of fourteen, he began his training as an engraver. His studies took him to Paris to the studio of #RobertHecquet. His reputation as a portrait engraver became well established.

Later in his life, Duallé expanded his engravings to include allegorical scenes by artists such as François Boucher, Joseph Vernet, David Teniers the younger, Adam Frans van der Meulen, Jean-François de Troy, Metsu, Jan Miel, and Poussin.

Even though this print has been cut down, it displays the talent that Daullé possessed.

La Marchande d’oeufs – The Egg Seller engraving by Duallé

The image was created by François Boucher and engraved on copper plate by Daullé in 1748.

Posted in Etching | Tagged basket, dress, eggs, straw, young lady, young man | Leave a comment

John Albert Cooper artist

Posted on 09/08/2026 by ronald972

I thought we would visit an artist who built a reputation as a landscape painter who worked the gap between realism and Impressionism. #JohnAlbertCooper (1894-1943) was born in Leeds, first training at the Leeds School of Art and then following WII at the Slade School of Art. He was a member of the #EastLondonGroup. Cooper mostly produced portraits and landscapes. His inspiration came from the rapidly changing urban and rural environs around him. He sought to see beauty in everything around him.

Cooper always attempted to evoke an emotional response in the viewer. He captured the charm and atmosphere of local scenes around him with his masterful utilisation of light and colour. Cooper believed that art should use the beauty of the present to bring the viewer into the contemplative ethereal.

Although not known for his use of pastel, I think this piece is most probably by John Albert Cooper. The subject and style are very much akin to his works in which beauty is to be found in the oh so ordinary things around us.

Posted in Drawings and Sketches, pastel | Tagged trees, house, church, yard, traps, shed, wheels | Leave a comment

Edward Horace Thompson artist

Posted on 26/07/2026 by ronald972

We go back to the Lake District and visit another artist who painted this area of England. #EdwardHoraceThompson (1879-1949) was born in Seaton, Workington, in Cumbria. His artistic talent was seen early, and he began painting at the age of 12. After his studies, he continued to paint but only in his spare time as he worked an office job to make a living. By 1918, he had established a reputation as a good artist, and he turned to life as a full-time painter. Shortly, thereafter, he set up his studio in Eaglesfield near Cockermouth. He moved to reside close to Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, and from there, he captured the varied moods and colours of the mountains and lakes that surrounded him..

Thompson began using pseudonym #DonaldAPaton around 1924 for most of his Scottish scenes. Thompson worked mainly in watercolour and is now considered to have been a very fine artist. He produced a series of images/works that were produced as postcards to promote the Lake District and Scotland.

Skiddaw from Threlkeld – watercolour by Edward Horace Thompson (aka Donald A. Paton)

One can see from this fabulous winter scene the talent that Thompson possessed as well as his love and respect for the Lake District in which he lived.

Posted in Watercolour paintings | Tagged forest, mountains, sheep, Skiddaw, snow, stream, trees, winter | Leave a comment

Sir Hugh Hasting and St. Mary the Virgin Church, Elsing

Posted on 19/07/2026 by ronald972

About an hours drive from where I live stands #StMarytheVirginChurch in Elsing. The church is a 14th-century structure and was built at the behest of #SirHughHastings. The church has a number of features that make it a standout. The church has no aisles. It has a single span roof, which stretches over 12 meters. The broadest in East Anglia and one of the biggest in England. There remains fragments of the stained glass that once filled the windows and a magnificent font, but we have come to look at a brass – that of Sir Hugh Hastings.

Sir Hugh Hastings
A Brass in Elsing Church

This brass is considered one of the best examples of church brasses in England. We see Sir Hugh born by angels to heaven while mourners, 7 in total, line either side of his effigy (one is missing in this engraving but has been replaced)

On Sir Hugh’s right, the mourners are King Edward III, Thomas Beauchamp – Earl of Warwick, missing Sir Hugh le Despenser, and Sir John Grey of Ruthin.

To Sir Hugh’s left, we find – Henry (Plantagenet) 4th Earl of Lancaster, Lawrence Hastings, Earl of Pembroke,
Ralph Stafford, Lord Stafford, and
Almeric, Lord St. Armand.

Towards the top of this wonderful lifesize brass, we see St George and further yet Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven and Christ enthroned on high. A magnificent brass.

Sir Hugh Hastings being born by angels while St George sits astride his steed

The engraving (on laid paper) was created in 1782 for publisher #JohnCarter of Wool Street, Westminster, and bears a J Whatman watermark. A fine engraving to add to my collection.

Posted in Etching | Tagged angels, armour, Christ, effigy, helmet, Knight, Mary, mourners, St George, sword, throne | Leave a comment

Robert Leslie Howey artist

Posted on 12/07/2026 by ronald972

One of the most beautiful areas in England is the Lake District. Many artists, across the centuries, have portrayed the beauty of this area in their works. One such artist was #RobertLeslieHowey (1900-1981)

#JohnWilliamHowey, Robert’s father, was a well-respected amateur artist who was a member of the Staithes Group of artists. Robert was born in West Hartlepool, and after his studies at art school, he became a professional artist based in Hartlepool.

Robert is best remembered as a creator of coastal and #LakeDistrict scenes. He worked in various media; oils, watercolours, and pastels and exhibited works at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Laing Gallery in Newcastle

Ullswater – pastel by Robert Leslie Howey @ 1920

The piece I acquired this past week is a pastel view of Ullswater in the Lake District. A well constructed view, a simple, not overly fussy portrayal with a well selected palette of colours nicely blended. Created in 1920, it is a fine example of his talent early in Robert’s career. A nice addition to my collection.

Posted in pastel | Tagged lake clouds, Lake District, landscape, mountains, shore, trees, Ullswater | Leave a comment

John June engraver

Posted on 06/07/2026 by ronald972

When we think about the arts in Britain in the first half of the 18th century, one must consider the works of #WilliamHogarth (1697-1764). Hogarth’s works were mostly satirical caricatures that satirised customs at the time and often created in series. ‘The Rakes Progress’ was his most famous series. The engravings of which were much plagiarised, so much so that Hogarth lobbied for The Copyright Act of 1735.

The Marriage Settlement,
from Marriage A-la-Mode – plate I

This past week, I acquired a set of engravings by #JohnJune (fl. 1740-1770) depicting Hogarth’s Marriage a la mode. June was an engraver and print maker best known for portraits and book illustrations, and he was regularly employed by the publisher Robert Sayer for such. This series might well have been commissioned and published by Sayer or, for that matter, by Hogarth himself.

The Tete-aTete
from Marriage A-la-Mode – plate II

Hogarth painted this series of six for Marriage A-la-Mode intending engravings to be made and copies to be sold to the general public. A main source of revenue for many artists.

The Inspection
from Marriage A-la-Mode – plate III

The story details the negotiations between an Earl and a London City Alderman to wed the Earl’s son to the Alderman’s daughter (which gives the Earl access to money and the Alderman an aristocratic title) and the resulting wedded non-bliss.

The Toilette
from Marriage A-la-Mode – plate IV

Throughout the series, we see the calamitous results of an ill-considered and pre-arranged marriage for money and social status.

The Bagnio
from Marriage A-la-Mode – plate V

The young couple, their families, and acquaintances are portrayed at their worst: seen engaging in affairs, drunkeness, gambling, as well as several other vices.

The Lady’s Death
Marriage A-la-Mode – plate VI

Alas, much to Hogarth’s chagrin, the series was not well received, making the artist a very modest amount of income. He had planned to follow on with a series entitled The Happy Marriage, but this did not occur and only exists in a series of very rough sketches.

A very lovely set, wonderfully executed and well inked, which was most likely produced during Hogarth’s life. A good addition to my collection.

Posted in Etching, Lino/woodcuts | Tagged caricatures, Hogarth, vices | Leave a comment

The Art of Bronze

Posted on 05/06/2026 by ronald972

In my travels, I come across small pieces of #sculpture that I like. I certainly am not well versed in the field of #bronze work, but pieces do catch my eye. Three small #busts; two of people that might have been living, a small child/cherub, and a leopard/lioness are today’s focus.

Ladies bust mounted on turned wood plinth – unknown maker, date and subject

Soldiers bust mounted on turned wood plinth – unknown maker, date and subject

The above pair are mounted on similar turned wood plinths, which make me think they were cast by the same maker. The lady does have some semblance to a stern Queen Victoria, and the second might be a First or Second World War general, or even earlier.

Small child/cherub bust on turned wood plinth.

This bust of a small child/cherub, I believe, is 19th century and made in France, but once again, there are no identifying marks to be seen.

The bronze cat may be Chinese in origin – again, no markings.

All these small cast figures are nice examples of what can be achieved in the casting of bronze. If any of my readers recognise the people portrayed, please let me know.

Posted in Sculpture | Tagged bronze, bust, child, general, lioness, plinth | Leave a comment

Richard Sorrell artist

Posted on 29/04/2026 by ronald972

Born to artist parents, Alan and Elizabeth Sorrell, we visit with #RichardSorrell (b. 1948). Sorrell studied at the Walthamstow Art School and the Kingston College of Art. Sorrell works in oils, acrylics, and watercolours. Sorrells’ paintings display figures in action, doing regular everyday things. But these images look somewhat awkward and rough, but it is just this clumsiness that draws one into the image portrayed.

seated lady – section of painting by Richard Sorrell @ 1989

Sorrell invents his paintings, drawing upon memories of ordinary people doing ordinary things to create compositions, which are about people and their interactions. These ordinary goings on, give the viewer an entrance point into the artwork, a recollection from an event or person from their own lives.

couple – section of painting by Richard Sorrell @ 1989

This entrance into the artwork puts the viewer in touch with their own feelings and memories. It makes the artwork approachable, more intimate, and personal.

The Last Dance and the Wallflower – acrylic by Richard Sorrell @ 1898

This piece is signed and dated but untitled. For me, when I look at this work, the title that comes to me is ‘The Last Dance and the Wallflower‘. So that is what I will call it. A piece that draws one in and asks a respose from the viewer.

Posted in Oil Paintings | Tagged chair, couple, dance floor, dancing, door, lounge, seated lady | Leave a comment

Art of Pastel

Posted on 16/04/2026 by ronald972

I recently added a pastel drawing to my collection. it was described as after Italian artist Antonio Rotta (1828-1903) and titled Charity to a Family of Beggars. This would mean that it is a 19th-century artwork. As with all pastel works, one must be careful while handling since pastel as well as chalk do not harden or soak into the paper. They are laid on top, which means they can be smudged or rubbed off.

The colours are laid and then rubbed or brushed to blend. The blending is often done with a finger. This blending creates an image with soft undefined edges.

The artwork is made up of several pieces of paper that were laid on a backing sheet. I think this might mean the original artwork was much larger and has been cut down. The edges of the sheets are slowly separating from the backing sheet, as can be seen by the image below.

I thought that the image was familiar in some way, and it took me a while to realise that it is reversed and slightly different angle of the family in Rembrandts’ Beggars Receiving Alms at the Door of a House (below)

Beggars Receiving Alms at the Door of a House – engraving by Rembrandt

The pastel work is roughly half to a third of the overall image, but one can easily observe the similarities between the two artworks. Because of this, I do think that the original pastel piece was much larger and a complete copy of what we see in Rembrandts’ engraving.

A beautiful and delicate artwork.

Posted in Drawings and Sketches, pastel | Tagged alms, basket, beard, beggar, child, family, flowers, hat, walking stick, window | Leave a comment