Original 19th century oil painting by British artist Frederick Septimus Lewis (1864-1935). Born in Liverpool to a large lower-middle class family, Lewis showed great talent from a young age and was trading full time as an artist by the age of only 17- likely due to a patronage.
The painting is of a high quality and the meticulous attention to detail has created an incredibly lifelike appearance. The sitter is the artist’s mother, Charlotte Lewis, born around 1818. Frederick Lewis was the youngest of Charlotte’s seven children (that made it into adulthood). She was 46 years old when she had Frederick, an unusually older age to naturally conceive and give birth in any era, but especially so in the 19th century.
Lewis and his mother were clearly very close and he lived with her until she died in her 80s, she would have been in her 60s when this was painted.
Lewis would typically hide his signature within a painting, but we have not been able to spot it on this one. Likely because it wasn’t intended to leave the family. He has however, very clearly signed and dated it on the back. His signature intertwined with the year 1884.
The varnish looks to have clouded a little in areas, a very typical sight when the original varnish is untouched on old oil paintings. It looks more evident in photographs as the light from our harsh ceiling are reflecting off the surface. There’s one very small bit of damage to the paint in the background area (see photo).
Original period gilt frame with original blown glass. Some light wear to frame inc a chip on the corner.
Frame measures 52cm x 42cm.
Aperture measures 44cm x 33cm.
Original 19th century oil painting by British artist Frederick Septimus Lewis (1864-1935). Born in Liverpool to a large lower-middle class family, Lewis showed great talent from a young age and was trading full time as an artist by the age of only 17- likely due to a patronage.
The painting is of a high quality and the meticulous attention to detail has created an incredibly lifelike appearance. The sitter is the artist’s mother, Charlotte Lewis, born around 1818. Frederick Lewis was the youngest of Charlotte’s seven children (that made it into adulthood). She was 46 years old when she had Frederick, an unusually older age to naturally conceive and give birth in any era, but especially so in the 19th century.
Lewis and his mother were clearly very close and he lived with her until she died in her 80s, she would have been in her 60s when this was painted.
Lewis would typically hide his signature within a painting, but we have not been able to spot it on this one. Likely because it wasn’t intended to leave the family. He has however, very clearly signed and dated it on the back. His signature intertwined with the year 1884.
The varnish looks to have clouded a little in areas, a very typical sight when the original varnish is untouched on old oil paintings. It looks more evident in photographs as the light from our harsh ceiling are reflecting off the surface. There’s one very small bit of damage to the paint in the background area (see photo).
Original period gilt frame with original blown glass. Some light wear to frame inc a chip on the corner.
Frame measures 52cm x 42cm.
Aperture measures 44cm x 33cm.