Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
Art - A Matter of Taste? - by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
In some ways being an auctioneer is like being a high court judge; you have to remain impartial and refrain from allowing personal ideals and emotions from influencing your decision. This is definitely the case when it comes to pictures.
While many hours can be passed away on the discussion of ‘What is art?’ in its many forms and styles, perhaps one way of looking at it could be the last section of pictures in Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood’s October Fine Art Sale.
Seeing a selection of work from the 16th century through to the 20th century together in one place, highlights the diverse range and tastes that have strong followers and detractors alike. For some, the traditional appeal of well-known and established artists will always hold and the watercolour of ‘The Elderberry Gatherers’ by Myles Birket Foster (1829-1899) proved this point. Successful and popular in his own lifetime, his works were criticised for being idealised views of the countryside, but even today his followers are loyal, as the £11,000 hammer price proved.
If twee chocolate box pictures of cottages aren’t your thing, then perhaps a grand portrait to hang, such as that of Thomas Musgrave Joy (1812-1866) would have been ideal for the living room. At over 7 feet tall, it certainly gave the feeling of being in a stately home and one could see why it realised its £10,000 on the day.
With such a range of maritime scenes, miniature portraits and topographical pictures in the sale, there was a lot of variation in style and execution, none more so than the artists of the 20th century. It is perhaps this section that always emotes the strongest responses from the public. From the work of Robert Lenkiewicz, to the cheeky satirical style of Beryl Cook, both have positive and negative emotional responses but still command high prices well into four figures.
The discussion of the merits of all of these artists and the many others in the sale, will continue for generations, each cycling in and out of fashion as the market changes. Ultimately the final decision really comes down to the personal choice of the individual, no matter what the justification or reason. As auctioneers we remain impartial to the debate but provide an invaluable service of keeping clients informed of the current market values and trends.
For more information on our services please contact Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood on 01392 413100 or www.bhandl.co.uk.
First published By The Dart December 2014