Photo by Victoria Beddoes

Introducing Take 5 by Ruth Millington. 

Explore Millington's five highlights from the upcoming

Wednesday 19 July Old Master, British & European Pictures auction.

 

Ruth Millington is an art historian, critic and author. Her first book Muse (@squarepegbooks, 2022) reframes the muse as an active agent in the making of masterpieces, and she recently curated an exhibition on this theme @LondonArtFair. She is currently writing a children’s art book, which will be published by Nosy Crow in 2024.

 

 

Lot 124: Studio of Miguel Canals, Still life of birds, foliage, lemons and other fruit

 

My top pick is lot 124; this painting is pure showmanship! I love the pattern of lemons and leaves, berries and birds, in this sensational still life from the studio of Miguel Canals. Leading the viewer inside a golden frame to enjoy an elaborate diorama, the painter has created a decorative world hinting at adventures to faraway or imagined places from mythology. I can well imagine it inspiring a novel by Sophie Haydock, Chloë Ashby or Tracy Chevalier.

 

Lot 224: Alfred Stevens, Belgian, An interior with a woman by a cradle

 

My second choice is lot 224. Art history’s favourite mother and child theme has often been treated with stillness by painters. In fact, another canvas on the subject by Alfred Stevens, ‘Une Mère (A Mother)’, which belongs to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, shows the pair lying peacefully in bed. But this dramatically lit canvas is defined by a moment of action as the elegant, red-haired model opens her hands above the baby’s cradle. I love the agency which Stevens has given to his muse who appears as a heroine, playing the role of mother in this luxurious interior. I wonder if he was inspired by the French stage actress Sarah Bernhardt – she was a frequent model for Stevens who portrayed her in the image of an iconic modern woman.

 

Lot 153: Frederick Daniel Hardy, A knock at the door

 

There’s a fairy tale feel to this symbolic painting, in which a cloaked woman and most likely her daughter seem to have arrived at their destination after a journey. In a moment of everyday drama, which echoes Vermeer’s domestic scenes, the artist plays on the contrast between interior and exterior, action and stillness, as the pair step across a threshold. But the seated woman is yet to look up at her guests, who have also announced their arrival with a knock on the door. What will happen next? The artist leaves the next chapter of this story to the viewer’s imagination.

 

Lot 189: William Hayes, British, Raggiana bird-of-paradise; pen and black ink

 

I grew up in Bermuda, so was immediately drawn to this beautiful watercolour illustration of the Raggiana bird-of-paradise. The playful composition emphasises the bird's superb, sweeping tail feathers which demand attention as it begins to perform a courtship display. On their island, Bermudians can find an orange Bird-of-Paradise flower that resemble one of these brightly coloured birds, and the lush landscape in the bottom right hand corner hints at tropical shores.

 

Lot 221: British school, mid to late 19th century-  Portrait of a lady reading

 

My last choice is lot 221! This is a captivating painting of one of art history’s most enduring subjects: a female muse reading. The artist has captured a treasured moment of privacy and freedom as the sitter is unaware of the viewer and instead is completely engaged with her book. There’s an overall harmony to the scene,: the reader’s blue headband matches the pendant around her neck, the red buttons of her dress echo the colour of the chair, and the white of her sleeve pairs with the pages of the book. I want to know what she’s reading!