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Ralph Hedley (British, 1848-1913) Boy Fishing image 1
Ralph Hedley (British, 1848-1913) Boy Fishing image 2
Ralph Hedley (British, 1848-1913) Boy Fishing image 3
Ralph Hedley (British, 1848-1913) Boy Fishing image 4
Lot 72

Ralph Hedley
(British, 1848-1913)
Boy Fishing

24 September 2025, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £7,680 inc. premium

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Ralph Hedley (British, 1848-1913)

Boy Fishing
signed 'Ralph Hedley.' (lower left)
oil on canvas
76.2 x 102.2cm (30 x 40 1/4in).

Footnotes

Provenance
Private collection, UK.

Exhibited
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, The Laing Art Gallery and Museum, A loan exhibition of works by Ralph Hedley R.B.A, 1938, no 132 (lent by Victor Walton).

Ralph Hedley was a prominent painter and woodcarver known for his portrayals of everyday life in the industrial North-East of England. Born in Richmond, Yorkshire, Hedley moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne early in life and apprenticed under the woodcarver Mr. Tweedy. He later studied at Newcastle Art School and the Life School under W. Bell Scott and W. Cosens Way, where he developed the technical skill and observational precision that came to define his work.

Throughout his career, Hedley captured the everyday with warmth and realism. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1879 and was a frequent contributor to the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. In 1895, he succeeded H. H. Emmerson as President of the Bewick Club. His final Academy contribution, Weeding Potatoes, was shown at the 1913 Burlington House Exhibition. That same year, he passed away on June 14.

Boy Fishing was included in the 1938 Loan Exhibition of Hedley's work, organised as part of a continuing series celebrating local artists. The painting was lent by Victor Walton, Esq., and displayed alongside 147 oil paintings, 12 watercolours, and 6 wood carvings. Following the exhibition, the work remained in a private collection.

This work exemplifies Hedley's ability for portraying quiet moments of rural life with sensitivity and technical ability.

Additional information

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