Provenance
St Michael's School, Otford (the school's founder and friend of the artist, Rev'd Arthur Tooth).
Private collection, UK (acquired from the above).

Henry Ryland began his formal training at the South Kensington School of Art before going on to attend the Heatherley School of Fine Art. He completed his training under Gustave Boulanger and Jules Joseph Lefebvre at the Académie Julian in Paris. When looking at Ryland's work, one can sense the influence of his education, as although there is a distinct Britishness to his subjects and composition, there is also a level of detail and quality to his draughtsmanship commensurate with training under two of the finest Orientalist painters in Europe. Throughout his career he turned his hand to a broad spectrum of artwork, including his widely exhibited oils and watercolours, but also as a designer in stained-glass, and illustrator for books and print adverts, notably for Pears soap.

The present works (lots 58-60) showcase the truly wonderful quality of Ryland's draughtsmanship – so fine, with light, weight, and form beautifully observed. Not only do these drawings highlight his abilities as an artist but they also epitomise the combination of influences that can be seen to run through much of his career; notably, the neo-Classicism of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, which can be seen in the drapery and robes; the aestheticism of Albert Moore, seen in the tall composition of standing figures similar to Moore's female studies; and finally, the Pre-Raphaelites, and the religious subject matter which they often espoused. These are truly exceptional examples of not only Ryland's skill as a draughtsman, but also his awareness and sensibility towards those other artists working in Britain throughout his career.

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- 19th Century & Orientalist Paintings