This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist William Shayer (1787-1879) depicts a river landscape with villagers waiting for a ferry. Shayer was an accomplished painter of figures and rural scenes.
Several local characters including a bonneted young lady atop a white pony rest awhile as they wait for the river ferry to return. An elderly lady holds a baby swaddled in blue, while a calf tilts its head in the hope of a meal. It’s a restful scene of everyday rural life, probably sketched in the New Forest where Shayer often drew inspiration.
Born the son of a publican, Shayer was raised in the ‘Horse and Jockey’ pub in Southampton, Hampshire. His father passed away early in life, leaving his widowed mother to take care of the family single-handedly while also serving customers. As such, to generate some much-needed income, he was sent to work as a young lad, decorating rush-bottom chairs. Subsequently undertaking an apprenticeship as a carriage painter.
Numerous artists from this period began their careers as carriage painters and it was far from an easy endeavour. Aside from the skills required for paint preparation, apprentices were expected to learn how to apply designs accurately and with care. Shayer excelled and was soon employed as a heraldic painter for George Parsons of Chichester, a coachbuilder. It’s said that he possessed a keen eye for detail and developed a solid reputation for the quality of his craft.
In his spare time, he produced copies of engravings and etchings to supplement his income. All the while honing his draughtsmanship and gaining experience of old master prints.
In 1819, with the encouragement of a generous local patron, Michael Hoy, he began to establish himself as a painter in oils. The following year debuting at London’s Royal Academy. His subjects were the ‘rural poor’, for want of a better expression. The local working communities of Hampshire, particularly the New Forest. He painted the everyday scenes he knew and the people he interacted with. His scenes are comparable with those of George Morland (1763-1804) and Edmund Bristow (1787-1876).
Painting the ‘poor’ was a Victorian endeavour fraught with complexity as critics often scorned those who reminded viewers of the symptoms of their abject poverty. Peasants, as they were usually referred to, needed to be seen as hard-working, in relatively good health, and morally upstanding. In recent years, historians have suggested that Shayer was influenced by these demands and overly romanticised his portrayals. However, it’s more likely that he simply focused on the positive aspects of close-knit brethren, community togetherness, and good honest labour. After all, he too faced the day-to-day struggles of providing for an extensive family.
In terms of his technique, he blended an advanced understanding of composition with a sympathetic eye and a keen wit. He’d also gained experience in using glazes via his work as a heraldic painter and adapted this with great success. When painting faces, for example, he often applied a thin transparent layer atop dry opaque oil paint to create a glowing effect.
With his stock rising, several of his peers urged him to move to London to further his opportunities. These included the animal painter, Thomas Sidney Cooper (1803-1902), who was an admirer. He declined, however, resolute to remain in Southampton where he spent his entire life. He often reminded them that he was selling works as quickly as he could paint them - straight from the easel.
Alongside his fruitful career as a painter, he worked as a drawing master, also producing designs for the local theatre. Finally retiring in 1870 due to failing eyesight.
William Shayer exhibited at the Royal Academy, British Institution, and the Society of British Artists. He’s represented in numerous public collections including the V&A Museum, Tate Gallery, and New York’s Met Museum. Four of his sons, including William Joseph Shayer Jnr (1811-1892), also became painters.
Signed faintly and held in a gilt frame.
Learn more about William Shayer in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 45½” x 33” / 116cm x 84cm
Year of creation: c. 1850
Labels & Inscriptions: Art dealer's label.
Provenance: Art dealership, London / Private collection, UK.
Condition: Cleaned. 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: £57,700 for ‘Isle of Wight with Figures and Horses (1854)’, Oil on canvas, Phillips, Early British and Victorian Paintings, London, 1996 (lot 83).
Our reference: BRV1872
