'A Gala Day', antique oil painting after Sir Alfred Munnings

This beautiful painting is after an original by Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959), one of Britain’s most celebrated artists. Munnings is noted for his Impressionistic style and is particularly celebrated for his depictions of horses.

The present painting is after Munnings’ original entitled ‘Whitsuntide – A Gala Day’. The scene of one of festivity and celebration, with the holiday traditionally marking the beginning of summer. The setting is a fairground, with the background lined by tents and canopies. The foreground depicts a group of six people: to the left, two children eat apples and stare into the face of the artist; to the right, an apple seller, his laden basket hooked by the crook of his right elbow, offers his goods to three well-dressed and evidently well-to-do potential patrons. The middle ground is hectic and busy, with Munnings’ characteristic horses visible to the left-hand side.

The painterly manner is fluid and Impressionistic, while the colour palette is bright and vibrant. The original work by Munnings was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1903. This present work, at a slightly smaller scale than the original, is indistinctly signed to the lower right ‘... Reeves’. The painting is an accomplished and probably near contemporary copy after the original. The painting is held within a carved giltwood frame.

Frame: Height 78cm, width 96cm, depth 5.5cm
Canvas: Height 50cm, width 70cm, depth 2cm