Antique watercolour by Charles William Bartlett (1860-1940), 'Beatitudes', 1886

Description: Very special watercolour painting by this British/ American artist, who became famous for his woodblock prints. Executed in 1886; it is therefore a very early piece by his hand, of the time that he was still a student in art. Bartlett studied in London (age 23) and Paris (age 26). This work is after a work by the French artist Charles Landelle (1821-1908), called The Beatitudes. This known work is a religious painting, executed in oil paint, with the subject of the people listening to Jesus while he is preaching on the Mount of Beatitudes. This episode of the Biblical story is told by the evangelist Matthew, from chapter 5 until 7. The painting by Landelle is visible in picture number 11 (left page). In picture number 12 a preliminary sketch by Landelle is shown, sold at Christies for $3,750 in 2009. It is remarkable that this work by Bartlett is based on this sketch (or maybe on an unknown finished work in oil paint based on this sketch). This work by Bartlett is not based on the known oil painting by Landelle, looking at the third woman from the left. The signature C.W. Bartlett corresponds with other signatures on his early works, for example the work 'Captives in Rome', painted in 1888 (sold at Christies, 1999) and 'View on Venice', painted in 1892 (Sold at Bonhams, London, 2004). This watercolour might actually be the first known work by his hand.The work is in excellent condition, signed bottom right corner 'C.W. Bartlett' and dated '1886' underneath. The signature and date are faded due to its age, but still clearly recognizable, h. 423 mm. - w. 281 mm./ h. 16.65 inch.- w. 11.06 inch. The frame is in total h. 58 - 42,2 cm./ h. 22.83 inch - w. 16.61 inch. Behind original passepartout and glass and framed in its original oakwood frame. Some minor foxing in the paper, but unobtrusive. A small repair in the margin on the back side. The back of the artwork is preserved with new acid free materials. Because of the use of archival materials it is preserved for future generations. With a shipment we will put painterstape on the glass to strenghten the glass and to protect the artwork; this can easily be removed. We discovered this special piece of art in the Netherlands, Europe. The provenance is a private collection in the town of Hilversum. Charles William Bartlett (1860 in Bridport, Dorsetshire, England - 1940 in Hawaii) is a British painter. At 23 he enrolled at the Royal Academy in London, where he studied painting and etching. After three years of apprenticeship in the British capital, he entered a private course at the Académie Julian in Paris, where he perfected his art with Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) and Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888). This watercolour painting must have been executed in the beginning of this period in France. In 1889 he returned to England. Bartlett then traveled to Europe, spending several years rich in various paintings in Holland, Brittany, Venice, with his friend and colleague in painting Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956). It is believed that it was Brangwyn who interested Bartlett in Japanese woodcuts, the technique of which consists of engraving the stamp of the print on wood and then, after stamping, coloring the print in watercolor. Bartlett painted some of his greatest works on the European continent, in particular several colorful studies of peasant life. He was invited to join the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1897. The following year he returned to England and remarried there to Kate Main. He then returned to the mainland with his wife. In 1908, he helped found the Société de la peinture à l'eau de Paris. Several European museums bought his watercolors during the Parisian exhibitions of this Water Painting Society; this is why it is represented almost everywhere in Europe. In 1913, with the financial help of the in-laws, the Bartlett family traveled to Pakistan, India, Ceylon, Indonesia, China and finally arrived in Japan in 1915. There Charles met the publisher of wooden prints Watanabe Shozaburo, one of the figures of Shin Hanga, the new artistic wave of Japan at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1916 Watanabe published 21 woodblock prints signed Bartlett. In 1917, the Bartlett's left Japan to return to England, but they never made it, preferring to stop in Hawaii. After a last stay in Japan in 1919 and a new series of blocks for Watanabe, Bartlett helped found the Honolulu Printmakers in 1928 with Alexander Samuel MacLeod, John Melville Kelly, and Huc-Mazelet Luquiens.Charles William Bartlett was both a prolific painter and printmaker. He exhibited works in the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. He travelled extensively, painting views in Venice, Holland and France as well as India and China. By 1917 Bartlett arrived in Hawaii where he painted surfers and fishermen. This work 'The Beatitudes' was painted before Bartlett undertook such extensive travel and reflects a more traditional subject for the artist.The Bradford Museums and Galleries (West Yorkshire, UK), the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery (Bristol, England), the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Library of Congress (Washington, D. C.), and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (University of Oregon) are among the public collections holding work by Charles W. Bartlett. Import fees may apply. We ship with Canada Post or UPS, both reliable shippers. We pack thoroughly. When the actual shipping costs are less, we will reimburse the customer. The normal retail price of this artpiece would be between 4000-5000 US$.

Price: 3149.88 USD

Location: Sarnia

End Time: 2024-03-19T03:17:03.000Z

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