MINIATURES BY ADA WHITING

Although born in Tasmania, Ada Whiting's work appears to turn up just as frequently in England and America as in Australasia.  During her career as a photographic colourist and later as a miniature painter, Ada painted many of the foremost families of her time, both Australian and visiting British and American dignitaries from her Collins Street, Melbourne studio.  

Two charming portraits of the same sitter, Margaret 'Peggy' Woolrabe (1876-1909) recently came up for auction around the same time; one in Australia and one in England. Peggy Woolrabe, nee Leask, was born in Scotland and married Frederick William Woolrabe in 1902, an Edinburgh-trained doctor ten years her senior.  Peggy died tragically young and the two miniatures, one a head and shoulders and the other a three quarter portrait, were probably both painted after her death.

Ada Whiting usually signed her work in monogram, but it is often overlooked.

Several members of the prominent Ross-Soden family were painted by Ada Whiting around 1906. The miniatures of two charming daughters of Isabel Ross-Soden went out of the family and appeared in an Australian auction at Charles Leski on 30th March 2005.  Lots 84 and 85 at estimates of Aus. $300-400 and Aus.$400-600 failed to find buyers, despite looking so charming. 

 Their mother's portrait, too, Lot 82 and described as 'oil on card' was passed in.  The descendants of this family would love to know what happened to these miniatures.  

EARLY 20TH CENTURY PORTRAIT MINIATURES Miss Ann ('Annie') Underwood (1876-1942)

There must be many miniatures from the early 20th Century hidden in drawers and boxes, and families have now forgotten which relatives they portray and haven't a clue who painted them... and so they end up in auctions labelled 'English' school!

Many of these are often initialled, and sometimes one can be lucky enough to find an exhibition label hidden behind the felt backing pad, which would reveal the name and address of the artist, and perhaps even the identity of the sitter.  It is always best to look!  Most of the frames from this era are the pinchbeck type with little pins holding everything together. 

Faced with this monogram signature,  how many would guess it is AU 1913 with the year divided around the initials?  This is the work of Ann Underwood. 

Although this lady is not a beauty, the miniature is exceptionally well painted, in the traditional way, on ivory.

Ann Underwood lived and worked in Brighton.  She studied initially in Brighton and then under the famously blunt Sir Hubert Herkomer in Bushey, Herts.  Her father was a publican but she preferred the description 'Hotel Proprietor'.  She exhibited at the Royal Academy and Royal Miniature Society from 1911 - c1932.  (details from Dictionary of Miniature Painters 1870-1970 ISBN 9782953662511).

A later miniature by this artist, again with the same monogram, shows an exquisite painting of a young girl, in one of the hardest poses to 'pull off', painted on ivorine c. 1932 

The label on the reverse reveals a price tag of £950!  A veritable fortune in those days!!

A few miniatures by this exceptional artist have appeared for sale in the last couple of years - perhaps you have one tucked away in YOUR attic?  

HUGH NICHOLSON - AN IMMENSELY TALENTED WANDSWORTH ARTIST (1865-1932?)

Hugh Nicholson was born in 1865 in Wandsworth, London.  His mother was Elizabeth Waterer and his father was David Nicholson, a locally well- known and initially very successful builder.  Little is known of Hugh's early life, other than his parents appeared to split up following the financial difficulties with his father's building firm, and then his father's early death.

Mrs. Charlotte Augusta Goodday (nee Field) (1817-1902)
Wife of Dr. Horatio Goodday, Surgeon and Author

Painted on Porcelain c.1890

By 1871 Hugh's mother and siblings had moved to 5 Middleton Terrace, Merton Road, Wandsworth, London.  

Twenty years later, Hugh was working as an artist/miniature painter and living at 8 Thurleigh Road, Balham.
It is a mystery why work by this brilliant artist does not come to light.  He appears to have always signed his work on the front and used his full name rather than a monogram.  He was a founding member of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters and exhibited at their exhibitions and elsewhere.

Mrs. W G Pirrie dated 1896
(the year Hugh emigrated to the USA)

Through his sister, Florence, he was uncle to 'Miss Marple' actress, Margaret Rutherford.

Like a number of accomplished Brit artists of the time, In 1896 he emigrated to America, where his work - miniatures in particular - would command a much higher price.  He settled in Baltimore, Maryland at one time living at No. 415 and later No. 417 West Fayette Street.

At some point after 1911, he returned to England, and was thought to have settled in Brighton, Sussex.  It seems likely that he died in Brighton in 1932 at 14a Stone Street, at the time a converted 'fly' stables and since then, a listed building.  It is thought that he was practicing as an artist and photographer. 

  

If you have a miniature by this artist, or members of your family lived nearby,  we would love to hear from you.

MUST SEE, MUST SEE!

The WARTS AND ALL Exhibition is an historic exhibition of works by the 17^th Century Master, Samuel Cooper, and his contemporaries, held at the Philip Mould Gallery in Dover Street, London W.1.  Arranged in a museum-like setting within the Gallery, this superb exhibition is curated by Emma Rutherford, their in-house miniature specialist.  

Although none of the exhibits is for sale, there is an extensive range of miniatures for sale from the gallery’s own collection.

The exhibition runs until 7^th December, and is open 10.00-5.00p.m. and on Saturday 12 – 4.00p.m.  Entrance is free.

For those unable to go, there is an accompanying catalogue featuring all the miniatures on display with a lot of additional information – more of a reference book than a catalogue, it is available from Philip Mould at £25 (www.philipmould.com). 

2013 RMS Exhibition - Two for One!

The Exhibition was opened by the Rt. Hon. Michael Portillo who did a wonderful job and set the pace for the first exciting few days.

An extra bonus is the retrospective exhibition of miniatures by Michael Bartlett PVPRMS (1922-2008), curated by the well known art critic, Anthony Lester.  This gives a fascinating insight into Michael's life with some of his famous 'soldier' miniatures on show, which he loved painting and made something of a speciality. 

  

With an exceptionally high standard of entrants, there are many 'highlights', but  here are a few of our favourites.  If you happen to be in London, why not go and see for yourself?  

Francesca Resta by Pauline Denyer Baker (no. 211)

The Cape Gooseberry by Benjamin Hope (No. 333)

Lady in a Bird Hat by Markissia Touliatos (no. 511)

Mrs. Jill Stevenson by Elizabeth Meek (no. 391)

Val by Elizabeth Meek (no. 391)

Garganey Drake by Philip Nelson (no. 41)


The Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Annual Exhibition runs from 15th October to 27th October, open 10am to 5 pm daily and closing at 1 pm on the final day.  Entrance is free.
  If you happen to be in London, why not go and see for yourself?  You might pick up some wonderful and original early Christmas presents or some fantastic, unique and well priced Christmas cards from a large selection.

European Portrait Miniatures - Conference in Celle

The Fifth Exhibition of the Tansey Collection was opened on 25th
January 2013 in Celle, Germany at the wonderful Bomann Museum. 

Bomann Museum

At the
same time, an International Conference was held at the nearby Celle
Castle Residence Museum, open to all, free of charge, through the
generosity of Mrs. and Mrs. Tansey. 

Celle Castle

The couple live in Celle, Mrs.
Tansey's home town, although her husband is American.  They have been
collecting miniatures for over 30 years.  In 1997 they created a
Foundation to preserve their collection and make it available for
anyone to see, either physically at the Bomann Museum or online in
English at www.miniaturen-tansey.de/en.

Mr And Mrs Tansey (on the left) attending the conference

Celle is an ancient town in Lower Saxony, filled with timber framed
houses and dominated by the grand Celle Castle.  It has a population
of about 71,000.  The romantic setting of the castle, almost
surrounded by water, was frozen and children were skating on the ice.

With freezing temperatures of -11C and below in Celle itself, Europe
was gripped in an icy hand and participants swapped horror stories of
delayed travel, with one of the speakers stuck for two hours on the
runway, whilst the wings of the aeroplane were de-iced manually by a
man with a scraper on the equivalent of a hydraulic stepladder!  He
arrived in the early hours of the morning.

The Conference was packed with miniature enthusiasts, curators,
conservators, art historians and other specialists and the atmosphere
was very exciting, as participants were able to hear presentations
from some of the most knowledgeable experts in the world and see
images of collections not readily available to the public.  It was
also an occasion to meet and talk to others with a shared interest in
miniatures during the many opportunities during the two days of the
Conference.  The event was brilliantly organized by the well known art
historian/conservator/author Bernd Pappe, Juliane Schmieglitz-Otten,
Head of the Residence Museum at Celle Caste, and Dr. Gerrit Walczak,
Art Historian, Berlin.  Bernd and Juliane wrote the beautiful
catalogue 'Miniatures from the Time of Marie Antoinette in the Tansey
Collection' to accompany the Fifth Exhibition,  which helpfully
includes an English translation.
This book can be ordered online from the Tansey website or from Amazon
and is also available from large bookstores.

The papers from the Conference will be published later this year and
will be available to purchase.

AN UNUSUAL LATER MINIATURE

If you happen to come across a miniature by Miss Lewis, we suggest you 'snap it up'.  Not only will it be very finely painted, but Miss Lewis herself had a spectacular career - as an actress!  Born as Mabel Gwynedd Lewis in 1872, she was born into a wealthy and talented family.  Her father, Arthur James Lewis, was a painter, illustrator and musician.  Her mother was an actress, Kate Terry, a niece of the famous Ellen Terry and her siblings, all actors.  Mabel's sister, Kate Terry Lewis (1868-1958) was the mother of John Gielgud.  

Portrait of a striking looking Gentleman by Miss Mabel Terry Lewis (1872-1957).  Signed and dated 1896

Mabel Terry Lewis appeared in many stage plays. Her London stage debut was in 'A Pair of Spectacles' at the Garrick Theatre in 1889, in which she played Lucy Lorimer.  For twenty or so years she had a film career, appearing in Love Maggy in 1921, The Scarlet Pimpernel in 1934, Jamaica Inn in 1939 and They Came to a City in 1945.  She married Captain Ralph Batley.