Author Archives: Mark Mitchell

About Mark Mitchell

Dealers in 19th-20th Century British and Continental Works of Art

The Ludovici family

Original bookplate for A. Ludovici, An artist’s life in London and Paris 1870-1925, 1926, with the coat of arms of the Ludovici family The members of the Ludovici clan were international in their roots, their lives and their education, and … Continue reading

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Japonisme, japonaiserie and chinoiserie

Victor Fontaine (1837-84), Guéridon fleuri The collecting of oriental works of art is an activity with a relatively long history in Britain. Chinese and Japanese artefacts had been eagerly acquired by English connoisseurs from the 17th century onwards: see, for … Continue reading

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The Compleat Angler

Catherine Wood, The Compleat Angler, exh. R.A 1910  Catherine Morris Wood was born in Islington in 1857, one of three sisters, to a London barrister and a Scottish mother.  In 1879 she won a scholarship to the Royal Female School … Continue reading

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The art of the dance

Robert Duckworth Greenham, Tango Final of British Championship, Blackpool, 1969, s. & d. 1970 Robert Greenham’s painting of this dancing competition can safely be called an eye-catcher. The viewpoint is defined by the velvet sill curving across the lower right-hand … Continue reading

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Empty chambers, crowded with life

Belgian or French School, Sunlight on the table, 1909 Paintings of interior scenes go back in date as far as figure and still life subjects, as they were a necessary part of the background of each; but a whole furnished … Continue reading

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Why do we like naïve art?

Late 19th-early 20th century American School, Still life with fish, after William Merritt Chase (1849-1916) The Association of British Naïve Artists publishes quite a long introduction to the history of naïve art on its website, reiterating the qualities of innocence, … Continue reading

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The Mirror of Venus

 Stephen Rose, The mirror of Venus, 2012 This is one of the most colourful and decorative still life paintings within our collection – at once a still life which seems purely representational, and a work which veers towards abstraction. – at once … Continue reading

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Terry Watts: art, nature and the Romantic

The Romantic movement in art grew out of an increased interest in the sublime and in picturesque notions of nature in the late 18th century. Before that, anything beyond the walls of the estate or garden had been regarded as … Continue reading

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George Weissbort

George Weissbort, Self portrait with beard, 1973 George Weissbort, whose work we are delighted to present in our gallery, sadly died during the summer, aged 85.  A charming man, his knowledge of the Old Masters was informed by hours (literally … Continue reading

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LAPADA Fair

So here I am, Excitingly, packing up my Art Collection for the LAPADA Fair in Berkeley Square… I have prepared a Map (so as not to get lost on the way), as it’s at least – ooh, Several Hundred Yards … Continue reading

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