Rare artwork by Sir Joshua Reynolds found after being dismissed as nothing more than ‘an English painting’
An artwork believed to have been painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, one of Britain’s greatest painters, is going on sale on Thursday after it was found “beaten up” at an auction and labelled only as “an English painting”.
Two Young Girls with Bonnets in a Woodland Setting will be unveiled at the Cotswold Art and Antiques Dealers' Association Fair at Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park, in Warwickshire.
Russell Strachan, who is selling the painting, told The Daily Telegraph that he found the work in 2019 at “an obscure provincial auction house” and had “an idea of what it could be”. He declined to disclose the original purchase price.
“It’s been quite a long time in having the conservation work done and researching it, but it’s turned out to be a very nice outcome,” he said.
Mr Strachan said that two Reynolds experts had looked at the painting, with one telling him “he found no reason to think it was not by Reynolds”.
He said the painting had been in a state of neglect when he found it, despite some 19th-century restoration work.
“The panel had cracked in the past and it had had quite a lot of broad overpaint to conceal the cracks,” Mr Strachan said. However, once that paint was removed, its provenance became clear.
If it is indeed a Reynolds, it would be among his rare “fancy” paintings - a term used by the artist himself to describe his non-portrait works.
Reynolds, who was born in Plymouth in 1723 and died in London in 1792, was known mostly for portraiture. However, when working for his own pleasure, he often experimented with new forms and different styles.
Only around 20 or so of Reynolds’s fancy paintings are known to exist.
The painting being sold on Thursday depicts two young girls playing in the woods and is said to be more sentimental than much of his work. However, his fancy paintings often depicted young women and girls enjoying themselves.
Mr Strachan would not reveal the exact asking price for the painting but said it was under £50,000.
Reynolds’s work is known to have varied substantially in quality and this is reflected in the prices paid for it. Adam Busiakiewicz, an art historian and lecturer at the Arts Society who stressed that he had not seen the painting himself to evaluate it, said: “Reynolds was a dramatically varying artist. Real standout pieces might sell for millions but others might sell for just £10,000 to £15,000.”
Reynolds was a key figure in 18th century Britain. He was Principal Painter in Ordinary to King George III and the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts.
“His influence in British art is enormous,” said Mr Busiakiewicz. “So many artists followed his style.”
JMW Turner and James Northcot are known to have been among his many admirers, while he was also known for his essays and lectures on art, delivered at the Academy.
Mr Strachan said he expected that the painting would be bought by private collectors rather than any institution.
Despite the significance of Reynolds in art history, Mr Strachan said this was not his best find.
“Everyone is different in the circumstances. This has been exciting as it started from a very low point. When you buy things that are not in a good condition, you’re always taking a chance because until it’s been stripped down to the original you have no idea. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong.”
