Frederick Morgan R.O.I. (British, 1847-1927) and Allen Culpepper Sealy (British, 1850-1927)

London, Institute of Painters in Oil Colours, Winter 1885, no. 90
Royal Mining and Industrial Exhibition, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, May 1887, no. 184

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.This painting has an old glue lining. The paint layer is stable and well textured. It does not appear to have been cleaned recently and will respond well to cleaning. There are no retouches visible either under ultraviolet light or to the naked eye. There is a very thin scratch in the cheek of the standing girl which needs to be retouched and another small loss on her right elbow, however for the most part the picture seems to be undamaged and in very good, healthy condition.
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Frederick Morgan, one of most highly-sought after British genre painters of his time, collaborated with good friend and fellow artist Allen Culpepper Sealy (1850-1927) on Rival Families, which depicts a playful confrontation between a group of farmyard cats and dogs. Sealy is best known for his equestrian paintings and his skill for rendering animals prompted numerous collaborations throughout his career.  His open style of brushwork (reminiscent of the work of John Emms) and thick heavy palette gives the feeling of texture and density to the animal's coat which contrasts with Morgan's much finer style as seen in the smooth texture of the girls' skin.  Their silky hair also contrasts with the unkempt roughness of the dog's coat.

 

It was common practice for aging barrels, as seen in the back left of the composition, to be turned on their side thus becoming a perfect kennel for the working dog.  The cat is also a farm worker housed in the barn to keep down the rodent population. The dog is a tri-colour rough collie (black, white and tan).  Her puppies are between eight and twelve weeks old and the kittens are of a similar age.

 

The cat poised in the background on the right is a subtle touch which adds an element of suspense to the composition.  Her desire for self preservation leaves her observing from a distance, but she is wide-eyed with anxiety, concern and apprehension.  The girls are oblivious to this, and are simply enjoying playing with their pets.

 

This painting will be included in the forthcoming book The Morgan Family of Painters by Terry Parker (Shepton Beauchamp: Richard Dennis, Summer 2008).