&
ART ANTIQUES
From Coast to Coast “Besides being a respected and published astronomer, John Brett was an exceptional artist, drawn to the wonders of nature and romance of the British Isles,” comments Tom Rooth, director of Victorian pictures at Christie’s South Kensington. Brett’s coastal scenes were the product of his travels around the coast on his schooner, The Viking. During the 1870s he frequently visited Cornwall and it was in the summer of 1877 that he produced the present masterpiece, Housel Bay, the Lizard peninsula. With Pre-Raphaelite attention to detail, Brett’s jewel-like colours capture the beauty and freshness that anybody who has ever experienced Cornwall on a summer’s day will recognise – the work draws the viewer in, and one cannot help but feel the tranquillity enjoyed by the painter on that hot summer’s afternoon, nearly 140 years ago. Brett’s work in Cornwall in many ways anticipated the Newlyn and St Ives Schools, where artists were drawn to the county due to its unspoilt beauty, rugged landscapes and wondrous light. Housel Bay, the Lizard peninsula, Cornwall by John Brett, A.R.A. (1831–1902) Signed and dated ‘John Brett 1877’ (lower left) Victorian, Pre Raphaelite & British Impressionist Art Sale Oil on canvas, Estimate £15,000-£25,000 12 March 2015 (Sale 10452) Christie’s South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, SW7 christies.com
Fair Share The Chelsea Antiques Fair, set in Chelsea’s elegant Town Hall, offers a friendly venue in which to admire antiques. Whether you have £50 or £5,000 to spend, there is something for everyone, from local shoppers looking to buy something for their home to collectors wishing to add to their treasures. The 40 exhibitors showcasing at the event will be delighted to share their specialised knowledge with you. Items being presented range from beautifully made furniture, exquisite jewellery, early 20th century decorative art, silver, ceramics and even millions-of-years old fossils. As the fair’s official organiser, Caroline Penman Josef Lorenzl, comments: “Many locals return to Dancing Girl £2,250 the Fair each year but we also get a huge amount of foreign visitors, who all tend to find something to take home with them; there is a lot of choice at reasonable prices.” Since the demise of the Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, the Chelsea Antiques Fair is now the oldest in Britain. 18-22 March Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, SW3 5EE Admission: £5, but e-tickets & details on: penman-fairs.co.uk T: 01825 744074 The Fair supports the local charity Children’s Hospital Trust Fund To be opened by actress Susan Hampshire OBE at 3pm on Wednesday 18 March Richard Hoppe — c.1914-20, Johann Oertel, Black Cut to Red Glass Vase, £325
Countdown On 18 March, the BADA Antiques & Fine Art Fair, now in its 23rd year, opens its doors once again in the Duke of York Square. Guests will find furniture, both antique and contemporary, as well as jewellery, fine glass, porcelain, paintings, clocks and carpets, in a spacious, purpose-built pavilion. Highlights include an exquisite Art Deco diamond and coral brooch presented by new exhibitor John Joseph; Anthony Woodburn will bring a magnificent William and Mary turtle shell and gilt mounted table clock dating from 1695, and Beaux Arts will unveil a striking bronze sculpture by Elisabeth Frink, Assassins II (1963), which explores the darker side of human ambition and the desire for power. 18-24 March Duke of York Square SW3 bada-antiques-fair.co.uk From top/ William and Mary turtle shell and gilt mounted, Quarter repeating, Spring table clock by one of the Master Clockmakers. Thomas Taylor Londini fecit circa 1695; Elisabeth Frink, Assassins II, 1963, Bronze with Brown Patina, H: 20.5 inches (52.1 cm), FCR129 Edition 5 of 8, Beaux Arts London
060
Nicholas Bagshawe - Romagnoli