WILLIAM GALE
“Middle Eastern Beauty”
A beautiful oil on panel painting by William Gale (1823-1909) of a Middle Eastern girl.
Some other examples of his works by this artist are included at the end of the photos.
Frame: Presented in a later, pierced giltwood frame.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 03 Dec 1992, Lot #217. Partial label on reverse.
Condition: Painting and frame are both in excellent condition, with no visibility of any over-painting.
Measurements: Painting measures 20 x 15cm and the overall frame 33 x 27cm.
Biography: William Gale (1823–1909) was a British painter of the pre-Raphaelite school.
Gale was born in London. He exhibited annually at the Royal Academy 1844–93, but was never elected a member. He exhibited regularly at the British Institution and at the Royal Society of British Artists.
In 1851, he married and travelled to Italy for his honeymoon. Like many of his contemporary artists, he travelled the Middle East in 1862 and again 1867. He was a prolific artist; his output included sentimental, biblical and mythological subjects, and portraits and Orientalist pictures. There are examples of his work in the Tate Gallery, in the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, and in the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
His painting Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem features in the sleeve notes of the 2011 album 90 Bisodol (Crimond) by the band Half Man Half Biscuit.