Leo Webster
Senior Specialist
Lot 189AR
Frances Mabel Hollams(British, 1877-1963)'Buster', 'Shandy', and 'Bluett' - Dalmatians
8 November 2023, 14:00 GMT
EdinburghSold for £5,120 inc. premium
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Frances Mabel Hollams (British, 1877-1963)
'Buster', 'Shandy', and 'Bluett' - Dalmatians
signed and dated 'F.M.HOLLAMS/'36' (lower right), inscribed with dogs' names (lower edge)
oil on panel
41 x 54cm (16 1/8 x 21 1/4in).
signed and dated 'F.M.HOLLAMS/'36' (lower right), inscribed with dogs' names (lower edge)
oil on panel
41 x 54cm (16 1/8 x 21 1/4in).
Footnotes
Frances Mabel Hollams was an animal painter who specialised in canine and equestrian portraits. She studied at the Frank Calderon School of Animal Painting in South Kensington, and at the Atelier Julian in Paris, the contemporary 'mecca' for animal painters.
One of Hollams' trademarks was to paint the dog or horse on board, sometimes varnished, with the grain of the wood showing through, and invariably with no background and the animal's name inscribed on the board. She worked with great speed in order to satisfy her many commissions. She is alleged to have rarely discussed money for a painting, but her butler always waited to bid farewell to clients with a silver salver on which they were expected to place £25 in cash.
In 1899, Hollams was elected an associate of the Society of Women Artists and by 1902 her qualities had been quickly recognised and she made a full member. She exhibited extensively including at the Royal Academy (8); the Society of Women Artists (19); and at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool (2). In June 1929 she had "A Loan Exhibition of Oil Paintings of Horse and Dogs", of 66 paintings, at the New Bond Street Walker's Galleries. It was a remarkable tribute, with 54 paintings being kindly lent by many titled and wealthy owners of show champions, pets and famous kennels.
In 1937, the New Bond Street dealers Arthur Ackermann & Son paid tribute to Hollams again with "A Loan Exhibition of Oil Paintings of Horses and Dogs" in which 38 paintings were shown.
Hollams' patrons included the Earls of Sefton, Beatty, and Cornwallis. Lord Cornwallis was the Master of the Linton Beagles, and she painted him with his beagles. She also painted for the royals, one of her last oils, executed in 1963, was that of Princess Alexandra Dutchess of Kent with a young friend on horseback.