Description:

Alfred de Breanski, Sr. (British, 1852-1928), "Balmoral, Her Majesty's Highland Home", 1897, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, later inscription with artist's name and title en verso, 24 in. x 40 in., framed. Provenance: Christie's, London, Feb. 29, 1980, lot 88 via International Fine Arts Association, Inc., New Orleans, LA; Collection of Mrs. Dudley J. Hughes, Jackson, MS. Ill.: Clark, Ronald W. Balmoral: Queen Victoria's Highland Home. London: Thames and Hudson, 1981, dust jacket cover. Note: Alfred de Breanski, Sr. began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in London in 1869, and by the 1870s, he had embraced landscape painting as his preferred subject matter. He traveled often to the isolated regions of Wales and Scotland in search of wilderness landscapes, creating a unique blend of romanticism and realism. In the painting offered here, the artist presents a panoramic view of Balmoral Castle, and he also concentrates on the texture of the grass and trees, as well as a flickering light on the water and clouds. The meteorological accuracy of the sky alone would suggest the influence of John Constable, and certainly the work of both Constable and J. M.W. Turner would have been inspiring for any promising landscape painter in Britain. Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is located on the large Balmoral Estate, a working property surrounded by thick forest, the Cairngorm mountains and the River Dee, all depicted here by De Breanski. Even now, and to a far greater extent in the nineteenth century, the country is one where wildlife is abundant, supporting favored royal activities such as deer-hunting and grouse-shooting. De Breanski depicts deer and figures in the valley beside the river, which reflects the tower of the castle, as an enduring symbol of Highland life. Balmoral has stood as a symbol of Royal relaxation and the focus of the Royal family’s long-standing enthusiasm for the Highlands since its acquisition by the Crown in 1852. Shortly after the estate was purchased, the existing house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle, depicted here in 1897, was commissioned from architect William Smith of Aberdeen. Balmoral was beloved by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and has remained a favorite residence for Queen Elizabeth and her family during the summer holiday period from August to September. Ref.: Clark, Ronald W. Balmoral: Queen Victoria’s Highland Home. London: Thames and Hudson, 1981. Whitmore, Janet. Alfred De Breanski, Sr. (1852-1928). http://www.rehs.com/Alfred_de_Breanski_Sr_Bio.html. Accessed Mar. 24, 2016.

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September 24, 2016 10:00 AM CDT
New Orleans, LA, US

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