19th Century British School Prized Shorthorn Bull Livestock Painting c.1890

Victorian British School Prized Shorthorn Bull Livestock Painting c.1890 An evocative late-19th-century British livestock portrait, in the manner of William Ward, with a researched Bourgeois Aîné Paris F8 support, documented auction provenance, professional conservation and private loan and exhibition history. Highlights British School, in the manner of William Ward Late Victorian, circa 1890 Oil on canvas Prized brown-and-white Shorthorn bull British provincial and naïve livestock tradition Bourgeois Aîné, Paris registered trade mark verso French F8 support marked 46 × 38 cm Golding Young & Mawer provenance Professionally conserved following assessment by Vanessa Andrew M.A. Privately loaned and exhibited with the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire Later decorative gilt frame Ready to hang Introduction A highly characterful late-Victorian oil painting depicting a substantial brown-and-white Shorthorn bull standing proudly in full profile within open pasture. The animal dominates the composition. Rich russet, chestnut, cream and white pigments describe its distinctive coat, while the surrounding countryside is painted more broadly in muted greens beneath a softly atmospheric sky. A mature tree at the left provides compositional balance. The work belongs naturally within the British tradition of livestock portraiture, where notable animals were recorded individually for breeders, agriculturalists and country estates. The Shorthorn The clear profile presentation allows the bull's coat markings, body, head, horns and overall conformation to be readily appreciated. During the 19th century, portraits of notable livestock could commemorate valuable breeding animals and agricultural achievement while also functioning as highly individual decorative works. Today, such pictures are also appreciated within the wider traditions of British provincial, folk and naïve painting. In the Manner of William Ward The painting is unsigned. It is catalogued as British School, in the manner of William Ward. The wording is deliberately qualified and does not represent the work as a painting by William Ward himself. Golding Young & Mawer independently catalogued the painting in 2025 as 19th Century British School. Bourgeois Aîné, Paris Research into the reverse has identified the surviving B-in-lozenge registered trade mark with very high confidence as associated with Bourgeois Aîné, Paris. The identification provides valuable evidence concerning the professionally manufactured support. It does not identify the painter. French F8 Support The stretcher is additionally marked 46 × 38 cm, corresponding to the traditional French F8 standard canvas format. An 1888 Bourgeois Aîné standard-format list records F8 as 46 × 38 cm. These physical characteristics provide useful material evidence compatible with the painting's proposed late-19th-century dating. Golding Young & Mawer The painting appeared at Golding Young & Mawer, Lincoln Fine Art Sale, 5 February 2025, Lot 119. It was catalogued as: “19thC British School. Short horn bull in landscape, oil on canvas.” The painting was subsequently acquired from the sale by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. Private Loan and Exhibition History Privately loaned and exhibited with the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire, within a display relating to British rural and agricultural heritage. The painting remained privately owned throughout the loan and exhibition period. Professional Conservation Professionally conserved following assessment by Vanessa Andrew M.A., Fine Art Conservator. The conservation addressed areas of instability and historic surface issues while preserving appropriate craquelure and age-related character. Provenance Private collection. Golding Young & Mawer, Lincoln Fine Art Sale, 5 February 2025, Lot 119. Acquired from the above sale. Thereafter Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. Dimensions Approximately 45 × 52 × 3 cm framed. Canvas/support approximately 46 × 38 cm. Frame Presented in a later decorative gilt frame displaying expected age-related rubbing, small chips, marks and minor decorative losses. Structurally sound and ready to hang. Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record. Attribution and Research The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market. These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. 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