146 - Circle of Paul Falconer Poole, RA,

Circle of Paul Falconer Poole, RA, British 1807-1879- A girl carrying a basket of harvested fruit on her head, standing in a landscape; oil on canvas, 36 x 30.7 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, UK. Note: Paintings of countrywomen harvesting or carrying fruit, vegetables, and livestock became increasingly popular in the 19th century. They were often seen as a chance to depict, within a single composition, still-life passages, landscapes, and figures in traditional costume. Frequently these attires were supposed to represent, in an almost "exotic" way, Southern Italian or Spanish dress. It is possible that the woman in the present painting, with dark hair, green dress, and red shawl, has been intended to be part of this tradition, and could be read as a "Mediterranean" type. The present lot recalls both in subject and technique the work of Paul Falconer Poole, who specialised in history and genre painting. A compelling comparison can be found in a work which sold at Waddington's, Toronto, on 10 July 2014, lot 120, as well as another painting which sold at Roseberys on 21 November 2018, lot 125 (£1,014).