Object Type
Oil paintings with sentimental scenes of children in the countryside became popular with collectors such as John Sheepshanks and the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend, as well as with the Victorian public in general.
People
George Smith (1829-1901) studied at the RA schools and later exhibited many works at the RA and the British Institution. He specialised in genre scenes of children which were much admired. They were usually rather idyllic scenes like this.
Subjects Depicted
When this painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1851, The Art Journal in its review, admired the subject of `Children decking with flowers their little sister, whom they have drawn forth in her little cart; the picture has much truthful excellence.' Most early Victorian artists, with the notable exception of William Mulready, avoided the darker aspects of childhood in response to the taste of their patrons.
Physical description
Oil on panel depicting three children gathering wild flowers
Place of Origin
Great Britain, UK (painted)
Date
1851 (made)
Artist/maker
Smith, George, born 1829 - died 1901 (artist)
Materials and Techniques
oil on panel
Marks and inscriptions
'G. Smith/1851'
Dimensions
Height: 45.7 cm, Width: 55.9 cm, Depth: 9.5 cm, Height: 64 cm framed, Width: 74.7 cm framed
Object history note
Given by John Sheepshanks, 1857. By George Smith (born in London, 1829, died there in 1901)
Exhibited at the Royal Academy 1851
Descriptive line
Oil painting entitled 'Spring Flowers' or 'Children Gathering Wild Flowers' by George Smith. Great Britain, 1851.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Catalogue of British Oil Paintings 1820-1860, Ronald Parkinson, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1990, pp. 268-69
The following is the full text of the catalogue entry:
"SMITH, George (1829-1901)
Born London 18 April 1829, studied at Cary's school, entered RA 1845, and worked in studio of C W Cope. Exhibited 79 works at the RA between 1848 and 1887, 26 at the BI 1847-67, and 15 at the SBA 1851-9 and 1881/2. Subjects mainly genre, often involving children. Died Maida Vale, London, 2 January 1901.
Children Gathering Wild Flowers
FA187 Neg 76819
Panel, 45.7 X 55.9 cm (18 X 22 ins) Signed and dated 'G. Smith/1851' in red br
Sheepshanks Gift 1857
Exhibited at the RA in 1851 as 'Spring Flowers'. The Art Journal commented: 'Children decking with flowers their little sister, whom they have drawn forth in her little cart; the picture has much truthful excellence. A picture by the same hand, No 490, entitled "Maternal Instruction" has equal merit'.
A cartoon for the picture, in black and red chalks heightened with white on grey paper, is also in the V &A collections (E58-1961).
The painting was reproduced in colour as a birthday greetings card published by the Medici Society Ltd.
EXH: RA 1851 (489); British Art Fifty Years Ago Whitechapel Art Gallery Spring 1905 (64)
LIT: Art Journal 1851, p158
Ronald Parkinson"
Labels and date
British Galleries:
George Smith was a popular painter who often exhibited at the Royal Academy. He specialised in scenes of children. These were usually idyllic scenes, which appealed to the sentimental tastes of a very wide section of the Victorian public. [27/03/2003]
Production Note
dated 1851
Materials
Oil paint; Panel
Techniques
Oil painting
Subjects depicted
Flowers; Children
Categories
British Galleries; Children & Childhood; Paintings
Collection code
PDP
