Lot 820
  • 820

Arthur John Elsley

Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 USD
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Description

  • Arthur John Elsley
  • Friend or Foe?
  • signed ARTHUR J. ELSLEY (lower left)
  • oil on canvas
  • 35 1/8 by 39 7/8 in.
  • 88.9 by 101.6 cm

Provenance

Sale: Sotheby's, London, November 6, 1995, lot 84, illustrated (as Favourite)
Haynes Fine Art, Broadway, England
Private collection (acquired from the above, and sold, Sotheby's, New York, April 24, 2009, lot 90, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale

Exhibited

London, Royal Academy, 1891, no. 1156 (as Victims)

Literature

The Illustrated London News, May 23, 1891, p. 682, illustrated (a black and white drawing of the painting)
Royal Academy Notes, London, 1891, p. 134, illustrated
Royal Academy Pictures, London, 1891, p. 115
Royal Academy Sketches, London, 1891, p. 88
Terry Parker, Golden Hours: The Paintings of Arthur J. Elsley, 1860-1952, Somerset, 1998, pp. 16, 133, illustrated p. 49

Condition

Lined. The surface is fresh and the colors are vibrant. There is a barely perceptible, stable web of craquelure across the picture surface. Under UV: Isolated spots of inpainting to the background above the figures, to the girl's apron and face, the left leg of the boy, and the kitten.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

The present early work by Arthur J. Elsley was displayed in the Royal Academy in 1891. Evocative of youthful frivolity and childhood bliss, Friend or Foe? is a highly skilled representation of the type of subject for which Elsley was best known. A widely popular artist in Victorian and Edwardian England, Elsley was first renowned for his depictions of canine subjects, and later, genre scenes focusing on images of childhood. His shift towards paintings of youthful play was influenced by celebrated Victorian painter Frederick Morgan, with whom he shared a studio.