Briton Riviere

Briton Riviere, RA (British, 1840-1920) To the hills signed with monogram and dated '1901.4' (lower left), signed and inscribed with title on artist's label (on reverse) oil on canvas 44 x 64 3/16 in. (112 x 163 cm.) PROVENANCE: with M. Newman, London Sale, Bonhams London, 26 March 2002, lot 101 Private collection, UK EXHIBITED: London, Royal Academy, 1901, No. 179

LOT 48 BRITON RIVIÈRE, R.A. 1840-1920 WAR TIME signed and dated l.r.: Briton Riviére/ 1874; inscribed with thetitle on an old label attached to the reverse oil on canvas 25,000—35,000 GBP 110.5 by 126 cm., 43 1/2 by 49 1/2 in. signed and dated l.r.: Briton Riviére/ 1874; inscribed with thetitle on an old label attached to the reverse oil on canvas Edward North Buxton M.P., of Knighton, Buckhurst Hill, his saleChristie's, 10 March 1916, lot 93 Royal Academy, 1875, no.89 Briton Riviére was particularly fond of collie dogs and paintedseveral paintings of sheep dogs, including Lost or Strayed ,The Long Sleep , Old Playfellows and Rus in Urbe (sold in these rooms, 12 June 2003, lot 259) in which ayoung shepherd and his dog are seated in the doorway of a townhouse, each perturbed by the urban clamour around them. Riviére'sart became extremely popular after he took up the mantle of thelate Sir Edwin Landseer and painted sensitive depictions of animalsand people in which the beasts emphasise the portrayals of humanemotion. Perhaps his most famous work is Prisoners alsoknown as Fidelity of 1869 (Lady Lever Art Gallery, PortSunlight) in which a young poacher and his dog await trial in abare prison cell. The sympathy of the faithful dog for his mastercaught the imagination of the Victorian public and it was a similarappeal to that of Landseer's Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner (Victoria and Albert Museum). Riviére's biographer Walter Armstronghas described the artist's ability to depict emotion in theexpressions of his animals without overly anthropomorphising them;'Speaking of him broadly as an artist, Riviére's strong points arehis sympathy with animals, his pleasant sense of colour, hisdirectness of conception, and his fine vein of poetry. The first ofthese saves him from that besetting sin of the English animalier,the dressing up in human sentiments, and the setting among humanconditions, of the lower animals. His sympathy with dogs is toothorough to permit of their degradation into half-taught actors. Hepaints them for what they are, a symbol of what man was once, therough material of civilisation with virtues and vices yet unbluntedby convention... His interest, in fact, is in the animal's realself.' (Walter Armstrong, Briton Riviére, Royal Academician, HisLife and Work, special edition of The Art Annual, 1891, p. 24) Riviére captured a similar sentiment in War Time in whichan old shepherd has received bad news from the front whilst hisloyal collie looks on having followed his master into the snowcovered farmyard. The painting illustrates the lines of Riviére'sbrother-in-law the English poet and dog breeder Sydney ThompsonDobell (1824-1874);"Over valley and woldWherever I turn my headThere's a mildew and a mould,The sun's going out overhead,And I'm very old,And Tommy's dead' War Time was bought by Edward North Buxton (1840-1924)the British conservationist and politician. He was the third son ofSir Edward North Buxton, 2nd Baronet (1812-1858) and his wife,Catherine Gurney. Buxton was elected Liberal MP for the Walthamstowconstituency in 1885-6. He advocated the provision of open,accessible land with a particular interest in providing space closeto cities. With his brother Thomas, he played a major role inconserving the forests Epping, Hainault and Hatfield for publicuse.

LOT 32 PROPERTY OF A DECEASED ESTATE BRITON RIVIÈRE, R.A. 1840-1920 COMPULSORY EDUCATION signed with monogram and dated 1887 l.l.; also signed, titled,and inscribed with the artist's address on a label attached to thestretcher oil on canvas 50,000—70,000 GBP measurements 79 by 53cm.; 23½ by 20¾in. PROVENANCE Richard Green, London; Private collection LITERATURE AND REFERENCES Walter Armstrong, Briton Riviere Royal Academician, His Lifeand Work , special issue of Art Annual , 1891, p.22 CATALOGUE NOTE Regarded as the most able successor to the great painter ofanimals Sir Edwin Landseer, Briton Riviére's art was highly popularin the later nineteenth century when he exhibited sensitiveportrayals of animals and human figures in which the beastsemphasise the portrayals of human emotion. Perhaps his most famouswork is Prisoners also known as Fidelity of 1869(Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight) in which a young poacherand his dog await trial in a bare prison cell. The sympathy of thefaithful dog for his master caught the imagination of the Victorianpublic and it was a similar appeal to that of Landseer's OldShepherd's Chief Mourner (Victoria and Albert Museum).Riviére's biographer Walter Armstrong has described the artist'sability to depict emotion in the expressions of his animals withoutoverly anthropomorphising them; 'Speaking of him broadly as anartist, Riviére's strong points are his sympathy with animals, hispleasant sense of colour, his directness of conception, and hisfine vein of poetry. The first of these saves him from thatbesetting sin of the English animalier, the dressing up in humansentiments, and the setting among human conditions, of the loweranimals. His sympathy with dogs is too thorough to permit of theirdegradation into half-taught actors. He paints them for what theyare, a symbol of what man was once, the rough material ofcivilisation with virtues and vices yet unblunted by convention...His interest, in fact, is in the animal's real self.' (WalterArmstrong, Briton Riviére, Royal Academician, His Life and Work,special edition of The Art Annual, 1891, p. 24) The most successful of Riviére's compositions are those in whicha solitary human figure is shown with a dog. This was a formulaused for one of Riviere's most famous and celebrated pictures Sympathy of 1877 (Royal Holloway College) which depicts theartist's daughter Mary seated at the top of a flight of steps,having been banished for some misdemeanor and is comforted by herlittle dog. Another example is Rus in Urbe (sold in theserooms, 12 June 2003, lot 259) in which a young shepherd's anguishat being in a city street is emphasized by the fear on the face ofhis collie. Compulsory Education captures a more humoroussentiment as the little girl attempts to teach her pet to read.Riviére was particularly fond of bloodhounds which featureprominently in several of his paintings, including The Last of theGarrison of 1875, Envy, Hatred and Malice of 1881 (Sotheby's, NewYork, 2 November 2002, lot 80), In Manus Tuas, Domini of 1879(Manchester City Art Gallery) and Requiescat of 1889 (Christie's,19 February 2003, lot 39) in which a loyal hound stands guard atthe side of a dead knight. Compulsory Education was chosen by Pears soap for anadvertising poster. Pears were famous for their marketing campaignswith the fame of their posters featuring John Everett Millais' Bubbles and William Powell Frith's New Frock beingamong the most enduring nineteenth century advertisements.Riviére's painting, with the girl's immaculate white gown and itsdelightful subject suited Pears purposes very well and although theoriginal painting has not be seen for many years the coloured Pearsprint has ensured that the image has remained well-known.

Briton Riviere (1840-1920) charcoal and chalk Brutus monogrammed and dated 1916 21 x 16.5in. Estimate £200-400 Paper has some undulations running horizontally through ittogether with some fox marks, a little rubbing where theundulations of the paper have rubbed against the glass, now in arecent card mount and slim gilt glazed frame, a few dents to theframe, initialled and dated lower left, no labels or furtherdetails verso.

signed and dated l.r.: Briton Riviére/ 1874 ; inscribed with the title on an old label attached to the reverse oil on canvas PROVENANCEEdward North Buxton M.P., of Knighton, Buckhurst Hill, his sale Christie's, 10 March 1916, lot 93 CATALOGUE NOTE Briton Riviére was particularly fond of collie dogs and painted several paintings of sheep dogs, including Lost or Strayed, The Long Sleep, Old Playfellows and Rus inUrbe (sold in these rooms, 12 June 2003, lot 259) in which a young shepherd and his dog are seated in the doorway of a town house, each perturbed by the urban clamour around them. Riviére's art became extremely popular after he took up the mantle of the late Sir Edwin Landseer and painted sensitive portrayals of animals and Man in which the beasts emphasise the portrayals of human emotion. Perhaps his most famous work is Prisoners also known as Fidelity of 1869 (FIG 1. Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight) in which a young poacher and his dog await trial in a bare prison cell. The sympathy of the faithful dog for his master caught the imagination of the Victorian public and it was a similar appeal to that of Landseer's Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner (Victoria and Albert Museum). Riviére's biographer Walter Armstrong has described the artist's ability to depict emotion in the expressions of his animals without overly anthropomorphising them; 'Speaking of him broadly as an artist, Riviére's strong points are his sympathy with animals, his pleasant sense of colour, his directness of conception, and his fine vein of poetry. The first of these saves him from that besetting sin of the English animalier, the dressing up in human sentiments, and the setting among human conditions, of the lower animals. His sympathy with dogs is too thorough to permit of their degradation into half-taught actors. He paints them for what they are, a symbol of what man was once, the rough material of civilisation with virtues and vices yet unblunted by convention... His interest, in fact, is in the animal's real self.' (Walter Armstrong, Briton Riviére, Royal Academician, His Life and Work, special edition of The Art Annual, 1891, p. 24) Riviére captured a similar sentiment in War Time in which an old shepherd has received bad news about the death of his son whilst his loyal collie looks on having followed his master into the snow covered farmyard. The painting illustrates the lines of Riviére's brother-in-law the English poet and dog breeder Sydney Thompson Dobell (1824-1874); "Over valley and wold Wherever I turn my head There's a mildew and a mould, The sun's going out overhead, And I'm very old, And Tommy's dead' War Time was bought by Edward North Buxton (1840-1924) the British conservationist and politician. He was the third son of Sir Edward North Buxton, 2nd Baronet (1812-1858) and his wife, Catherine Gurney. Buxton was elected Liberal MP for the Walthamstow constituency in 1885-6. He advocated the provision of open, accessible land with a particular interest in providing space close to cities. With his brother Thomas, he played a major role in conserving the forests Epping, Hainault and Hatfield for public use.