This witty early 20th-century oil painting by British artist Edgar Bundy ARA RI RBA (1862-1922) depicts a young country woman visiting the home of her wealthy relatives, to much dismay. It was shown at the Royal Academy in 1903. Bundy was a distinguished painter of genre scenes and a member of the Royal Society of British Artists.
Dressed in attire more suitable for a homely rural village than a fine Georgian townhouse, she saunters in without a care in the world. She’s seemingly oblivious to the elaborately dressed staff who look towards her with intrigue. A cat is sprawled in the foreground, revelling in comfort. It’s a sterling example of Bundy’s vivacity as a colourist and his playful approach towards societal narratives.
Born in Brighton, it seems Bundy was predominantly self-taught, aside from some rudimentary instruction as a child from ‘Alfred Stevens’, presumably the artist and sculptor Alfred Stevens (1817-1875). Nonetheless, he began exhibiting at the Royal Academy at the budding age of 19 and would continue to do so until his death at the age of 60.
His success was owed both to his lively brushwork and the subject matter to which he devoted his career. Historical genre scenes were sought after in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain. At a time of rapid industrial progress, which saw the world ever-changing, viewers pined for a reminder of a simpler, idealised time gone by.
Popular, too, were his paintings depicting scenes from famous literature, such as the works of Charles Dickens. The rise in literacy levels, and indeed in literary publications, accrued an audience for animated depictions of Dickens’ animated characters.
He often utilised a rich colour palette to capture his characters in a lively manner. This vivacity is often further amplified by the positioning of limbs in theatrical posturing. Figures’ intentions are made clear and their emotions are evident. Critics often praised him for many of these elements, hailing his works as ‘distinctly characterised,’ ‘well drawn and soundly painted,’ with a ‘skilfully designed,’ manner.
Today, Edgar Bundy remains an interesting case study of a self-taught artist rising through the echelons to become a regular at the Royal Academy. He’s represented in numerous public collections including at the Walker Art Gallery, Birmingham Museum, and the Charles Dickens Museum in London.
Signed in the lower right and held within a splendid gilt frame with s-scrolling rails, pierced scrolling foliate corners and rocaille centres, which is probably original.
Learn more about Edgar Bundy in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 28½” x 23” / 72cm x 59cm
Year of creation: c. 1903
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Exhibited: London, Royal Academy, 1903, Gallery IX, no. 508.
Condition: Cleaned. Canvas relined. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age.
Artist’s auction maximum: £31,725 for ‘The Doctor Forbids’, Oil on canvas, Christie’s, Victorian Pictures, London, 28 November 2000 (lot 18).
Our reference: BRV2103
