James Archer(1823- 1904) Scottish, large oil on canvas Portrait painting of a Gentleman. Sight measurements 33"1/2 by 46" 1/2 and the frame measures 40" 1/2 by 53" inches.Not signed however inscribed James Archer in the verso in pencil. The previous owner assumes they were of Scottish descent.James Archer RSA (1823-1904), was a Scottish painter of portraits, genre works, landscapes and historical scenes.Archer was born in Edinburgh, one of the four children of Andrew Archer, a dentist, and Ann Cunningham. His sister was Georgina Archer[4] who founded an early college for women in Germany. He was educated at the Royal High School and studied at the Trustee's Academy in Edinburgh under Sir William Allan and Thomas Duncan (painter). In 1840 he was accepted as a student at the Royal Scottish Academy and first exhibited there in 1842, with the biblical painting, "The Child St John in the Wilderness". He became an associate of the academy in 1850, and in 1858 an Academician (RSA). In 1844 he is listed as living at 21 York Place in Edinburgh's New Town.Archer worked in oils, pencil and chalk, and at the beginning of his career specialized in portraiture, his best-known work includes children and people in costume as its subjects - in fact, he was the first Victorian painter to do children's portraits in period costume. In 1849 he exhibited his first historical picture 'The Last Supper' at the Royal Scottish Academy. His work after that mostly consisted of scenes taken from literature or legends that were popular at the time, such as Shakespeare and King Arthur.[6] In about 1859 he began to paint a series of Arthurian subjects, including La Mort d'Arthur and Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. In 1864, he moved to London.In the 1880's, Archer traveled to the United States, where he painted Andrew Carnegie's portrait, and to India, where he painted landscapes and people in costume.

Used generally good ready to hang condition. We are selling all lots on As Is basis. Please see all the images posted online. For in Person Inspections, Please attend our show room during preview hours before the auction or examine all the images posted online and read descriptions + conditions of our sale. Please email us your condition questions before you place your bid & before the sale begins.