This mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist Edward Benjamin Herberte (1830-1896) depicts a busy gathering outside ‘The Barley Mow’, a charming village pub.
Wherever you look, there’s a story. It’s a veritable hive of activity. Towards the middle, an older gentleman leans to chat to a bustle-wearing woman. Alongside, a muscular grey horse rests unsaddled. In the lower right, a stout shepherd guides his marked flock through a rickety five-bar gate. A collie waits patiently.
Further on, beyond the weary cattle, the village church stands prominently with distant homes peppering the background. It’s a rural idyll, a window through time.
Herberte was primarily an animal painter with a particular skill for horses. He’s best known for his sporting scenes and worked predominantly for aristocratic patrons.
Signed/dated lower left and held within a gilt frame.
This painting was sold at Christie’s on the 2nd of June 1989 and it’s illustrated on page 48 of the auction catalogue.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 43” x 30½” / 109cm x 78cm
Year of creation: 1879
Labels & Inscriptions: Reeves and Sons supplier’s stamp.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Fine craquelure but the paint is stable. One patched repair. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £23,992
Edward Benjamin Herberte
Edward Benjamin Herberte was an accomplished British painter of sporting and genre scenes. He’s represented at the National Trust, Leicester Museum & Art Gallery and Berkswell Village Museum.
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