James Archer

James Archer, R.S.A. (1823-1904) The picnic signed with monogram and dated '1870' (lower left) oil on canvas 28 x 40 in. (71.1 x 101.6 cm.) Archer, who signed with a distictive monogram of his initials transfixed by an arrow, was a Scot who moved to London in 1862 to further his portrait practice. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy, initially of Arthurian scenes: La Morte d'Arthur now belongs to Tate Britain. He had three daughters and a son, so this charming group could well be a portrait of his own family. The composition is reminiscent of his 1860 picture, Summertime, Gloucestershire, now in the National Gallery of Scotland. We are grateful to Dr Joanna Soden of the Royal Scottish Academy for her assistance preparing this catalogue entry.

James Archer, R.S.A. (1823-1904) The picnic signed with monogram and dated '1870' (lower left) oil on canvas 28 x 40 in. (71.1 x 101.6 cm.) Archer, who signed with a distictive monogram of his initials transfixed by an arrow, was a Scot who moved to London in 1862 to further his portrait practice. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy, initially of Arthurian scenes: La Morte d'Arthur now belongs to Tate Britain. He had three daughters and a son, so this charming group could well be a portrait of his own family. The composition is reminiscent of his 1860 picture, Summertime, Gloucestershire, now in the National Gallery of Scotland. We are grateful to Dr Joanna Soden of the Royal Scottish Academy for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.

Lot 23 James Archer Scottish, 1824-1904 Woman Reading , 1864 Monogramed and dated 1864 (lr) Oil on canvas 24 x 18 inches C Estimate $800-1,200 Heavy Craquelure throughout painting. Lower right there is a 3 inch x 3 inch square area of repair and inpainting, with a patch to the canvas on the back. In the upper left there is a 4 x 4 inch area of repair, with inpainting. Please note that this was repaired with a plaster-like substance. Frame rubbing. Dirty varnish. Visible stretcher marks. No other restoration is detected under UV light. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Doyle New York shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

LOT 60 JAMES ARCHER R.S.W. 1824-1904 ROBERT KERSS, GAMEKEEPER AND FISHERMAN AT MOUNTEVIOT 10,000—15,000 GBP measurements 105.5 by 76 cm.; 41½ by 30 in. Description signed with monogram and dated l.r.: 1857 oil on canvas PROVENANCE Commissioned by Lord Lothian in 1857;Robert R. Nelson Esq., Edinburgh EXHIBITED Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Academy, 1858, no.113 CATALOGUE NOTE In the nineteenth century Monteviot was the principal seat ofWilliam Schomberg Kerr, 8th Marquess of Lothian(1832-1870). Lothian had a double first degree in classics andhistory from Christ Church, Oxford and was well-connected amongartistic circles, counting George Frederick Watts and members ofthe Hogarth and Roxburghe clubs among his intellectual friends.Monteviot housed a rich ancestral collection of portraits andLothian added this likeness of his gamekeeper Robert Kerss in 1857.Kerr died in July 1870 when he was only thirty-eight, following adebilitating illness.Robert 'Rob' Kerss was Lothian's head gamekeeper and tacksman and afamous and expert fly-fisherman, despite suffering from acuterheumatism caused by long cold nights spent watching his cairnnets. He was described as 'a very prince among Tweedboatmen' (The Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert Maxwell, The Story ofTweed , 1909, p.357) and 'a great character... he had fewequals as a Fisher' (Andrew and John Lang, Highways andByways in the Border , 1913, p.205). Archer depicted him dressedin tweed and waders standing on the banks of the river Teviot, witha fly in his hand and a freshly landed salmon at his feet. Histrusty border collie is looking expectantly at his master whilstKerss appears to be pointing proudly at his catch his ruddyweather-beaten face animated as though he were in conversation withthe viewer. Kerss' prowess as a fisherman was legendary after anincident at Makerstoun in 1815 when he landed one of the largestsalmon that had ever been recorded (a perfect 'one that got away'story). The rod that he is holding in Archer's portrait is likelyto be that described by the Lang brothers; 'The rod with whichKerss killed so many hundreds of fish is still in the possession ofone of his descendants, near Beattock. Compared with present-daymasterpieces of greenheart or split cane, it is a quaint and clumsyweapon, of extraordinary thickness in the butt, and of crushingweight. The writer has handled it, and he is convinced that onehour's use could not fail to choke off for the rest of the day eventhe most enthusiastic of modern salmon fishers.' (ibid Lang,p.205) In the background can be seen the 150foot high WellingtonMonument on the wooded slopes of Penielheugh and the rooftops ofMonteviot itself, below. Painted at the height of Archer's artisticpowers, with a Pre-Raphaelite attention to detail and colour, thisportrait is a fascinating depiction of a member of rural societythat was rarely the subject of portraiture.

LOT 38 PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN JAMES ARCHER R.S.W. 1824-1904 THE FAIR BEAUTY AND THE DARK ONE 30,000—40,000 GBP measurements measurements note 127 by 101 1/2 cm., 50 by 40in. Description signed with monogram and dated 1874 l.r. oil on canvas PROVENANCE Sotheby's, Chester, 14 April 1988, lot 3204; Richard Green, London; Private collection EXHIBITED Royal Academy, 1874, no.291; London, Richard Green, Exhibition of Victorian Paintings, 1988, no.28