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Lot 256: ATTR Ernest Crofts (UK,1847-1911) oil painting antique

Est: $700 USD - $900 USDPassed
Broward Auction GalleryDania Beach, FL, USNovember 14, 2021

Item Overview

Description

ARTIST: ATTRIBUTED TO Ernest Crofts (British, 1847 - 1911)
NAME: Portrait of Soldier
MEDIUM: oil on canvas
CONDITION: Some flaking. Some craquelure. Some scattered inpaintings. Wear to frame.
SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 18 inches / 50 x 45 cm
FRAME SIZE: 26 x 24 inches / 66 x 60 cm
SIGNATURE: unsigned
CATEGORY: antique vintage painting
AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US
SKU#: 118816
US Shipping $75 + insurance.

BIOGRAPHY:
Ernest Crofts was a British painter of historical and military scenes.Born in Leeds on 15 September 1847, Ernest was son of John Crofts, Esq. of Adal, near Leeds, a Justice of the Peace, and grandson of the Rev. W. Crofts, B.D., Vicar of North Grimston, near Malton, Yorkshire. One of his maternal uncles was the Rev. William Carr, B.D. of Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire. His mother was Ellen Wordsworth, the daughter of a Leeds industrialist. Ernest studied at Rugby School, for several years, and then headed to Berlin where he developed his interest in art and decided upon a career as a painter. His first acquaintance with war was made in 1864 when he accompanied a Prussian doctor in the Schleswig-Holstein War, and the operations around DГјppel. His sister Ellen Wordsworth Crofts married Sir Francis Darwin and was the mother of poet Frances Cornford.He returned to London and became a pupil under A. B. Clay, but was back in Germany a few years later, this time studying at the Dusseldorf school of painting in Europe, where he studied under the German military artist, Emil Hunten, himself an ex-pupil of Horace Vernet, and at the time military and historical painter to the Prussian emperor. Under Hunten, Crofts' talent as a military painter grew, and in 1874, he exhibited Retreat, representing an episode in the Franco-Prussian War during the Battle of Gravelotte, and in the same year, another scene from the same conflict, One touch of nature makes the whole world kin which won him the Crystal Palace prize medal. Both scenes were influenced by the artist's experience of witnessing some of the closing stages of the war, especially the battles of Weissenbourg, Worth, and the siege of Strasbourg. While contributing regularly to the annual Royal Academy exhibition, he continued to live in Dusseldorf where he met his future wife.In 1875, Crofts exhibited Ligny at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) and at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The following year saw his picture representing The morning of the Battle of Waterloo which captured the dawn of the day with the tired and bespattered troops. One critic described it as follows: "Mr. Crofts' large canvas is admirable in the grouping of the soldiers on the morning of the battle; the day is breaking, on a weary, wounded and mud-stained company, some lying on the bare ground with knapsacks for pillows, some up and preparing for the march. The artillery are just on the move, and the note of preparation is sounding. The tone of the picture reminds us of the French school". The artist's first notable pictures of the English Civil War were exhibited in 1877, one of which depicted Oliver Cromwell at Marston Moor. In the same year, he refused the offer of an appointment of military painter to the Prince of Roumania to be attached to his staff during the Russo-Turkish War.Crofts was elected an Associate of the RA on 19 July 1878, the year that his picture, Wellington on his march from Quatre Bras to Waterloo was shown. In the same year, his painting entitled The Morning of the Battle of Waterloo was shown at the Paris International Exhibition; this depicted the French army retiring from the battlefield, with Napoleon leaving his carriage and preparing to mount his horse. The artist walked and sketched much of the area around the battlefield of Waterloo including La Haye Sainte, Hougoumont and La Belle Alliance. In 1896, he was elected a full academician of the Royal Academy, and his Diploma Work, a Civil War scene, was entitled To the Rescue. Two years later he succeeded Philip Calderon as keeper and trustee of the RA, which gave him accommodation at Burlington House. He was in effect chief director of the academy art schools as well as chief custodian of the Diploma Galley, which required "firmness, kindness and tact," according to one obituary, and Crofts was noted for his "pleasant manner, his good looks, and his amiability of character" which made him an ideal keeper.Besides historical scenes, Crofts did paint some contemporary military events. In 1901, for instance, the king commissioned him to paint a picture of the distribution of the war medals following the Boer War. Two years later, he painted a large scene of the funeral of Queen Victoria. One of his most ambitious works was the panel in the ambulatory of the Royal Exchange which portrayed Elizabeth I opening the first Royal Exchange in 1571. His trilogy of paintings chronicling the final moments, death and burial of Charles I were popular, but there was some disagreement over the representation of the block upon which the king knelt to be beheaded. Some argued about the accuracy, contending that the block of the period was a lower one, being just a few inches from the ground, and that to reach it, the king would have had to lie flat.Crofts lived at 'The Green' which he helped to re-design, next to Blythburgh church in Suffolk. He had married a German lady, Elizabeth Wusthofen of DГјsseldorf, and they had one daughter. The artist died of pneumonia at Burlington House on 19 March 1911. His funeral service was held at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, on Thursday 23 March, followed by his burial at Kensal Green Cemetery. A sale of his remaining works was held at Christie, Manson & Woods on Monday 18 December 1911.While Crofts's pictures were popular in the 1870s and 1880s, the public lost its appetite for war paintings in the early years of the 20th century following the setbacks in South Africa. His obituary noted that "his taste was a little theatrical, and his talent not good enough to redeem it is safe to say that he will be best remembered, not by them, but by his good work at the Academy Schools and by his administrative services to the body of which he was a useful member the exacting taste of the present day asks for something less conventional than his rather superficial battle scenes". While the artist's pictures continue to be used as illustration in history and military books, today he is rarely mentioned as a significant historical artist.

Artist or Maker

Payment & Shipping

Payment

Accepted forms of payment: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipping: Shipping fees listed with each lot pertain to domestic shipping only. International bidders are subject to higher shipping fees. Please inquire about shipping to a particular country before the start of the auction. Purchased items will be shipped on a first paid, first shipped basis and may take up to five (5) business days for said shipment to leave our (Broward Auction Gallery) auction house. All domestic mainland items are shipped via USPS Parcel Select unless otherwise specified or requested by the customer.
Invoices must be paid in full to Broward Auction Gallery before purchased property can be released or collected. We will store merchandise free of charge for a period of up to (10) business days. After that period a daily storage charge of $5 per lot/day will commence regardless of lot size or value.
For items that are too large for in-house shipment, a gallery approved vendor will be provided for crate and freight services. Broward Auction Gallery WILL NOT CANCEL SALE DUE TO SHIPPING.

Auction Details

Fine & Decorative Art (November 2021)

by
Broward Auction Gallery
November 14, 2021, 11:45 AM EST

#185 398 E Dania Beach blvd, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, US

Terms

Buyer's Premium

25.0%

Bidding Increments

From:To:Increment:
$0$199$10
$200$399$20
$400$699$25
$700$1,499$50
$1,500$3,999$100
$4,000$7,999$250
$8,000$14,999$500
$15,000$29,999$1,000
$30,000$299,999$2,000
$300,000+$5,000

Terms and Conditions

TERMS & CONDITIONS
Any of the following conditions of sale may be amended, waived, or modified in the sole discretion of Broward Auction Gallery. By placing a bid, whether present in the saleroom or by any other means, the buyer (bidder, purchaser) agrees to be bound by the following conditions of sale:

1) All property is sold in "as is" condition and all sales are final. Neither Broward Auction Gallery nor their consignor(s) makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the property or the correctness of the catalogue or other description of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, age, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibitions, literature or historical relevance of the property or otherwise. The Auctioneer and the Consignor assume no risk, liability or responsibility for the authenticity or the authorship of any property identified in the online catalogue (that is, the identity of the creator or the period, culture, source or origin as the case may be, with which the creation of any property is identified herein).
If any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose can be construed from the catalogue, auction, or bill of sale, such warranties are disclaimed by the Auctioneer and the Consignor. No statement in the online catalogue or made at the sale or in the Bill of Sale or invoice or elsewhere shall be deemed such a warranty or representation or an admission of liability. Moreover, the Auctioneer will not be held responsible for any variations in appearance of online photographs.
ANTIQUES: Additionally, antiques, by the very nature of their age, have wear that reflects their years of use. As a result, honest wear from use is to be expected and is sometimes the proof that an item is an antique. Normal wear will not be noted in the description.
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2) Notwithstanding the preceding condition, if within 14 days of the sale of any lot the purchaser of any painting gives notice in writing to the Auctioneer that the lot so sold is a counterfeit and, if within 7 days after such notice the purchaser returns to the Auctioneer in the same condition as when sold, and gives written proof from a recognized impartial expert which establishes beyond reasonable doubt that the returned lot is in fact a counterfeit and that this was not indicated by a fair reading of the catalogue or the Auctioneer's comments at the time of sale, the Auctioneer as agent for the Consignor will rescind the sale and refund the purchase price.

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9) A 23% buyer's premium will be added to the sale of each lot, plus applicable taxes, unless exempt by law. Applicable Sales or use taxes will be added to the purchase price of all taxable purchases. To be sales tax exempt, a current sales tax exemption certificate, including sales tax exemption number, must be presented to Broward Auction Gallery to avoid paying sales tax. Out of state Internet buyers are sales tax exempt unless you elect to pick up your item(s). In that case, to be exempt, you must present a valid Resale Certificate from you state and complete and sign an affidavit stating all items purchased are for resale out of state.

10) All invoices must be paid no later than the 5th business day following the conclusion of the auction. A dispute will be entered for any invoice not paid within 5 business day.
We accept credit cards, personal or company checks, bank wire transfers. Property purchased during the auction may not be removed until the full purchase price, including buyer's premium and all applicable taxes, have been paid. Broward Auction Gallery reserves the right to hold merchandise purchased by personal check until the check has cleared the bank.
Any invoice not paid in full within fourteen (14) days after the auction may be cancelled and the sale rescinded without further notice to the purchaser.
Credit Cards PAYMENT LIMITS: As a measure of fraud protection, we do not accept credit card payments in excess of $3,000. Total invoice purchases over $3,000 REQUIRES a wire transfer or check payment.

11) Shipping: Shipping fees listed with each lot pertain to domestic shipping only. International bidders are subject to higher shipping fees. Please inquire about shipping to a particular country before the start of the auction. Purchased items will be shipped on a first paid, first shipped basis and may take up to five (5) business days for said shipment to leave our (Broward Auction Gallery) auction house. All domestic mainland items are shipped via USPS Parcel Select unless otherwise specified or requested by the customer.
Invoices must be paid in full to Broward Auction Gallery before purchased property can be released or collected. We will store merchandise free of charge for a period of up to (10) business days. After that period a daily storage charge of $5 per lot/day will commence regardless of lot size or value.
For items that are too large for in-house shipment, a gallery approved vendor will be provided for crate and freight services. Broward Auction Gallery WILL NOT CANCEL SALE DUE TO SHIPPING.

12) If any applicable conditions contained herein are not complied with by the purchaser, Broward Auction Gallery may, in addition to other remedies available by law; (a) hold the purchaser liable for the total purchase price; (b) retain any payment made by the purchaser, and/or (c) cancel the sale and resell the property without reserve and the original purchaser will be liable for any deficiency and added cost.

13) ARBITRATION: Bidder agrees that any controversy or claim arising out of this auction, or any related dealings with Auctioneer or Seller, must be resolved by final and binding arbitration with no appeal permitted except as provided by Florida statute. The parties voluntarily waive their rights to seek traditional remedies in any court including the right to a trial by jury. The prevailing party will be entitled to collect from the other its costs associated with the arbitration, including reasonable attorneys fees.

Shipping Terms

Shipping: Shipping fees listed with each lot pertain to domestic shipping only. International bidders are subject to higher shipping fees. Please inquire about shipping to a particular country before the start of the auction. Purchased items will be shipped on a first paid, first shipped basis and may take up to five (5) business days for said shipment to leave our (Broward Auction Gallery) auction house. All domestic mainland items are shipped via USPS Parcel Select unless otherwise specified or requested by the customer.
Invoices must be paid in full to Broward Auction Gallery before purchased property can be released or collected. We will store merchandise free of charge for a period of up to (10) business days. After that period a daily storage charge of $5 per lot/day will commence regardless of lot size or value.
For items that are too large for in-house shipment, a gallery approved vendor will be provided for crate and freight services. Broward Auction Gallery WILL NOT CANCEL SALE DUE TO SHIPPING.

Payment Terms

All invoices must be paid no later than the 5th business day following the conclusion of the auction. A dispute will be entered for any invoice not paid within 5 business day.
We accept credit cards, personal or company checks, bank wire transfers. Property purchased during the auction may not be removed until the full purchase price, including buyer's premium and all applicable taxes, have been paid. Broward Auction Gallery reserves the right to hold merchandise purchased by personal check until the check has cleared the bank.
Any invoice not paid in full within fourteen (14) days after the auction may be cancelled and the sale rescinded without further notice to the purchaser.
Credit Cards PAYMENT LIMITS: As a measure of fraud protection, we do not accept credit card payments in excess of $3,000. Total invoice purchases over $3,000 REQUIRES a wire transfer or check payment.

Buyer Premium & Taxes

A 25% buyer's premium will be added to the sale of each lot, plus applicable taxes, unless exempt by law. Applicable Sales or use taxes will be added to the purchase price of all taxable purchases. To be sales tax exempt, a current sales tax exemption certificate, including sales tax exemption number, must be presented to Broward Auction Gallery to avoid paying sales tax. Out of state Internet buyers are sales tax exempt unless you elect to pick up your item(s). In that case, to be exempt, you must present a valid Resale Certificate from you state and complete and sign an affidavit stating all items purchased are for resale out of state.