Attributed to George Jones

"Edith and Harold at The Battle of Hastings"

Oil on canvas attributed to George Jones R.A.

In 1831 George Jones RA exhibited five paintings in the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, of which, number 484 was:

“Harold’s body discovered after the Battle of Hastings by Edith Swaneshals and two monks.”

“Sad, and despairing of success, they addressed themselves to a beautiful woman, named Edith, who Harold had loved before he was King, and besought her to accompany them in a second search; she consented to the mournful errand, and affection, more quick sighted than either friendship or devotion, soon led her to the mangled body of her lover. “ Thierry.

George Jones was a painter of historical scenes and battles, born in London in 1786, dying in 1869. He was the son of John Jones and became a pupil at the Royal Academy School in 1801. Elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1822, he became a full Member in 1824. During the Napoleonic Wars he served in the British Army and was amongst the troops occupying Paris. He accompanied Wellington in 1815 and his painting “Waterloo” was awarded a prize of £200 by the British Institute in 1820. He Exhibited at the British Institute, the Royal Society of British Artists Suffolk St and the Old Watercolour Society. He was elected Keeper of the Royal Academy, a position he held between 1840-1850. He was a close friend of Sir Francis Chantrey and JMW Turner.

His work is represented in the collection of the Museums of Bristol, Glasgow, the Fitzwilliam Cambridge, the Victoria and Albert Museum London, Newport, Nottingham and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The work has been professionally cleaned and retains its original gilt frame.

AU$8,985