.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Barber began to exhibit regularly at the Royal Academy in 1866 at the age of twenty-one. He was a favorite painter of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria who commissioned him to paint portraits of their grandchildren with their favorite pets. The Queen was so impressed with his work that he later succeeded Landseer, who died in 1873, as her painter of animals. Barber's task was to paint groups of her grandchildren with the royal pets.
The present picture, painted in 1884, depicts a dissapointed young girl being consoled by her dogs because it is raining and she therefore cannot ride. No ride today incorporates Barber's characteristic attention to detail and sentimental expression, in the young girl who gazes out the window longing to be outside. A sense of sadness is reflected even in Barber's handling of the dogs unlike Landseer who gave a human aspect to his subjects, Barber kept their expressions natural.
Barber was highly regarded by his collegues, as is evidenced by Harry Furniss who wrote, "He was a delighful companion, the gentlest and truest of friends, and the sweetest-natured man that ever held a brush" (H. Furniss, "Charles Burton Barber", The Magazine of Art, London, 1896, p. 18).
Charles Burton Barber, Time to wake up, sold, Christie's, New York, 11 November 1998, lot 169.
The present picture, painted in 1884, depicts a dissapointed young girl being consoled by her dogs because it is raining and she therefore cannot ride. No ride today incorporates Barber's characteristic attention to detail and sentimental expression, in the young girl who gazes out the window longing to be outside. A sense of sadness is reflected even in Barber's handling of the dogs unlike Landseer who gave a human aspect to his subjects, Barber kept their expressions natural.
Barber was highly regarded by his collegues, as is evidenced by Harry Furniss who wrote, "He was a delighful companion, the gentlest and truest of friends, and the sweetest-natured man that ever held a brush" (H. Furniss, "Charles Burton Barber", The Magazine of Art, London, 1896, p. 18).
Charles Burton Barber, Time to wake up, sold, Christie's, New York, 11 November 1998, lot 169.