This charming late 19th-century oil painting by British artist William III Bromley (1816-1890) depicts a mother feeding a pet magpie while her daughters look on. It was shown at the Society of British Artists in 1882 and sold through Christie’s in 1883. Bromley was a celebrated painter of genre scenes.
Captivated by their feathered friend, they’re transfixed on the cage as the magpie takes its morning meal. It’s a relatable moment for a Victorian viewer as magpies were popular pets. In 1892, a writer in the ‘Girl’s Own Paper’ celebrated “the chattering propensities” of this kleptomaniacal bird and described them as excellent talkers.
William Bromley was born into a particularly artistic family as both his father and grandfather were engravers. His father, John Charles Bromley (1795-1839), produced mezzotints after a host of well-known artists including Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775-1851) and Thomas Girtin (1775-1802). While his grandfather, William Bromley (1769-1842), engraved two portraits after Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA FRS (1769-1830) - depicting the Duke of Wellington and a young Napoleon.
Given this, one would’ve expected the young Bromley to follow suit by taking up the burin. However, perhaps due to the changing demands of patrons, he opted to become a figure painter. His earliest works date to the late 1830s and he debuted at the British Institution in 1843. Little is known about the formative stages of his career, but he was possibly living with the sculptor, Robert J Gale, at St George Hanover Square around this time. In 1844, he debuted at the Royal Academy with ‘Preaching of the Covenanters’ and continued to exhibit there until 1870.
His raison d'être was domestic scenes portraying the lighter side of family life - children playing gleefully, mothers cradling newborns, and siblings sharing gripping stories. These were the topics that patrons desired and he soon became highly sought after.
By 1861, his home in Paddington, London, was a hive of activity with a wife, seven children and staff. His sitting room would’ve resembled many of his paintings and he was never short of inspiration. It’s always interesting to consider how many of the children appearing in an artist’s work are, in fact, their own.
Three of his children became painters, Valentine Walter Bromley (1848-1877), William John Bromley (1858-1939) and John Mallard Bromley (1860-1917).
He’s represented in numerous public collections including the Manchester Art Gallery, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, and the Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Signed in the lower left and held within a later frame with rocaille centres and corners.
Learn more about William III Bromley in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 22” x 18” / 56cm x 46cm
Year of creation: c. 1882
Labels & Inscriptions: Original inscribed label on the reverse with the title of ‘The Magpie’s Breakfast’ and the artist’s address. Gallery label with the incorrect title of ‘The Pet Magpie’ and an incorrect attribution to Valentine Walter Bromley. Two Christie’s stencils.
Provenance: Christie’s, London, 21 July 1883, lot 150 / Private collection, UK.
Exhibited: London, Society of British Artists, 1882.
Condition: Cleaned. Craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £20,700 for ‘Gathering Berries’, Oil on canvas, Sotheby’s, Victorian Pictures, London, 10 November 1999 (lot 35).
Our reference: BRV2106
