As fine art auctioneers it is always exciting when the work of an artist you admire becomes more widely appreciated. We have seen this in recent years with several of our favourite Cornish artists, but none more so than the wonderful Harold Harvey, whose work is currently enjoying a real upsurge in popularity.

In our last Cornish Art Sale in July this was evidenced by the sale of a delightful landscape 'Herding cows' (above) which sold for an astonishing £30,000.

Over the years we’ve had some very arresting portraits by Harvey, The two works above
'Kit' and 'Clara' were delightful, and we are thrilled to have another particularly fabulous work in next week’s sale.

Depicting a striking dark haired child garlanded by wild flowers in a meadow. It is an utterly charming portrait and a very fine example of this talented Cornish artist’s work.

'In the Meadow' (detail)

Lot 92

Penzance-born Harvey was a true ‘son of Cornwall’, and a notable member of the Newlyn School artists’ colony, which flourished from 1880 to 1940. The son of a bank manager, he grew up in Penzance, and after studying under Norman Garstin and a spell in Paris, he settled to a quiet life in Newlyn with fellow artist Gertrude, painting the Cornwall he knew from the inside.

His early genre paintings of rustic and marine life, so characteristic of the first group of Newlyn artists, gradually gave way to a more sophisticated subject matter – Harvey was noted for his sumptuous interiors – and a flatter and more decorative style of painting. His early work might be compared with that of Stanhope Forbes, while his later paintings show clear affinities with those of fellow painters and friends such as Laura Knight and Dod and Ernest Procter.

(biography courtesy of Penlee House)

Penlee House Museum and Gallery is currently holding an exceptional exhibition of Harold Harvey’s work and we would highly recommend a visit before it closes on September 29th

Harold C. HARVEY (1874-1941)

Join us on the 5th of September for the sale of this wonderful painting.

Click here to view the entire sale

John Anthony Park, lot 29