LONDON.- Bellmans announced that the March auction of Old Masters, British and European Paintings on Thursday, 28th March 2024 will include three artists' collections with works of four artists born in the 19th Century, all coming from descendants and new to the market. Two of which are well-known for their outstanding work depicting animals and in particular dogs and wild cats, Herbert Dicksee and Arthur Wardle, and Frank Dicksee, who was best known for his portraits and landscapes, while Arthur Croft also excelled in the latter.

The Arthur Croft Collection

Highlight of the collection from the family of the artist Arthur Croft (1828-1902) is an oil painting by Frederick Arthur Bridgman (American, 1847-1928), Sanctuary in the Sahara, signed and dated 1879. It was first exhibited in London at the 1880 annual exhibition of the Royal Academy and is the product of Bridgman’s second visit to Algeria. While he focused on Algiers during his first trip in 1872-73, during his second trip to North Africa, he decided to investigate the smaller towns and villages south of the metropolis, which remained less westernised, despite French control of the region. On a three-day excursion towards the Sahara Desert, accompanied by a French military escort, native guide, interpreter, and other artists, the group ended up in the oasis village of Lichana. The party selected as their first sightseeing stop the local mosque, one of the oldest in Algeria.

Bridgman was so taken by its sad beauty that he devoted a page in his diary to describing its features and a half-page illustration, Mosque of Lichana, in his travel book. The drawing, which includes far less figures, has a similar setting and no doubt served as the study for the painting, Sanctuary in the Sahara.

The English artist Arthur Croft (1828-1902) probably bought it at the RA exhibition as it never again appeared in any of Bridgman’s many contributions to annuals, nor in his solo exhibitions. It has remained in Croft's family for generations, but it is unknown if Croft and Bridgman knew each other. It is highly likely that they met either in London or the US as both were married to American expatriates and Croft may have even visited Algeria with Bridgman, as the American was accompanied by four other artists, who remained unnamed in his writings. Croft was known primarily as a watercolorist of landscapes and topographical views and there are a few Algerian scenes, dated 1880 and 1881.

Works by Herbert and Frank Dicksee from the collection of the late Pamela Service

Bellmans are also offering a fine and eclectic group of works by Herbert (1862-1942) and Frank Dicksee (1853-1928), from the collection of the late Pamela Service, Herbert’s grand-daughter. Both Herbert and Frank’s fathers were artists; John Dicksee (1817-1905), a portrait painter and Thomas Dicksee (1819-1895), a genre, historical and portrait painter, respectively.

The collection includes some superb examples of Herbert’s celebrated etchings including, My Lady Sleeps, Rescued and The Twilight Hour, the model for which was actress Gladys Cooper. There is also a selection of original works on paper depicting the subject that he is most famous for, dogs. Herbert won a scholarship to the Slade School of Art and went on to become one the Edwardian era’s most sought-after animal painters, many of Herbert’s works portray a beautifully rendered pet with a charming narrative, in particular My Lady Sleeps and Waiting for Master. They were often family pets and included in this collection is an adorable portrait of Pamela’s bull terrier, William.

Such was the demand for Herbert’s work that numerous pictures were transcribed into etchings, immaculate examples of which are represented here. Another favourite subject of Herbert’s were the big cats; majestic yet intricately detailed portrayals of lions, tigers and leopards, inspired by those resident at London zoo. A friend is even said to have offered him a lion cub as a pet which, on sober reflection, was declined. Herbert’s work was exhibited throughout the country and he was commissioned by King Edward VII to paint a favourite terrier, Caesar.

Sir Frank Dicksee on the other hand was a seminal figure in the art world of the late 19th and early 20th century. He trained at the Royal Academy Schools where visiting lecturers included Lord Leighton and Sir John Everett Millais who undoubtedly had a marked effect on his mature work. Frank was a superb portrait painter, depicting high society of the day with remarkable finesse and style. He was elected to the Academy in 1891 before succeeding Aston Webb as President in 1924.

This auction includes a charming selection of watercolour landscapes by him thought to have been executed at the Langham Sketching club, as well as a serene oil painting of the Italian Coastline from La Mortola.

Herbert married in 1896, his son was killed in World War One but his daughter Dorothy, Pamela’s mother, went on to study art. She was also executor to his will which included instructions to destroy the majority of his etching plates. Herbert was executor to Frank’s will, which included the landscapes to be offered in the forthcoming sale, before the collection as a whole passed to his grand-daughter Pamela.

Arthur Wardle – The Studio Sale

The studio sale of another contemporary of the former, Arthur Wardle (1860-1949), offers a superb collection of oil paintings, pastels, watercolours, sketches and sculpture by one of the foremost British animal artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The lasting appeal of Wardle’s work is arguably down to its lack of sentimentality and anthropomorphism; the technical brilliance with which he renders anatomy is matched only by the palpable sense of character and vitality.

The diversity of subject matter, and medium, sets him apart; from bear to bullfinch, stag to squirrel, tiger to terrier his ability to capture the essence of an animal has few equals. Much of his work captures the dramatic and sometimes brutal nature of the animal kingdom and so imbued with life and energy are his subjects, that it often appears they will move off the sheet or canvas at any moment. The collection also includes some beautifully stylish and sensitive figure studies as well as a consummate self-portrait.

Arthur Wardle was born in London and although he received no formal artistic training it is likely he received guidance from some of his numerous artist neighbours in Chelsea. Study of Cattle on the banks of the Thames was accepted as a Royal Academy exhibit in 1880, when Wardle was only 16 years of age, the first of some 113 works exhibited at the RA in his lifetime.

The present collection, with its numerous sketches of big cats, is testament to the hours spent in meticulous study and intense observation. In 1892 Wardle moved to St Johns Wood, close to London Zoo, where he could study his more exotic subjects first-hand. While family tradition has it that Wardle never travelled abroad, it is quite possible that he went to Africa, India and South East Asia in the 1920s, although depictions of the savannah, which his lions inhabit, are based on certain tors on Exmoor. Wardle was a founding member of The Pastel Society and used this particular medium to great effect, as pastel’s organic application suited Wardle’s style and allowed him to capture his inherently unpredictable subjects quickly.

While he was rightly acclaimed for his wildlife subjects, his rendering of dogs earned him commercial success with work reproduced by tobacco companies as well as on greetings cards, calendars and pottery. His painting featured in the Great British Empire Exhibition at Wembley and was followed by a one-man show at The Fine Art Society in 1931. All works have come directly from the Wardle family.