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Oakham Fine Art

British and European Fine Art

Sir Alfred East

British (15 December 1844 – 28 September 1913)

Sir Alfred East was born in Kettering in Northamptonshire, England in 1844. Born into a family of shoemakers, Alfred East studied art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Sir Alfred East's landscapes are heavily influenced by the French Barbizon school of painters and to many he was considered to be the greatest living landscape painter of his time.

In April 1888 Sir Alfred East and Thomas Cooper Gotch (also from Kettering) exhibited at the galleries of the Fine Art Society in London. Following its success Sir Alfred East was commissioned by Marcus Huish, Managing Director of the Society, to spend six months in Japan to paint the landscape and the people of the country. When the exhibition of 104 paintings from this tour was held at the Fine Art Society in 1890 it was a spectacular success. Some of these Japanese pieces are available from The Oakham Fine Art Gallery.

Sir Alfred East was also an etcher of some repute producing approximately 60 works during his lifetime. Many of his rare etchings are available from Oakham Fine Art. Sir Alfred East's etchings, following his tour of Japan are influenced by his time there, as can be seen in his composition of trees. After Sir Alfred East's death all of the etched plates were destroyed making the limited number of impressions that are in circulation today highly collectible.

All of the Sir Alfred East pictures in the online art gallery, unless marked sold are available for purchase from ourselves. If you would like further information on any of our artworks, or you are interested in purchasing any of the pictures and you require additional images then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to provide these on request.

Pricing is available on request by selecting one of the artworks and clicking ENQUIRE

Scarborough - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5020
Medium – Watercolour on paper
Size - 19½" x 26” (50cm x 66cm)

Verso – Old label that reads “This work painted by Sir Alfred East R.A. was in my possession at the time of his death. It was included in the Memorial Exhibition held at The Fine Art Society, 148, New Bond Street, London, in July 1918 under the title ’Scarborough’ Signed Annie East”

PROVENANCE
Painted in the style of William Turner, this stunning artwork very similar to “The Fighting Temeraire” remained in the private collection of Sir Alfred East and Mrs Annie East.
Sir Alfred East Memorial Exhibition at The Fine Art Society, London. July 1918
E H Hare, Esq., Birmingham.
Christie's, Sale, 28 May 1923.

Condition - Excellent

A Japanese Figure at Dusk- Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5005
Medium - Oil on wooden panel
Size - 6" x 9" (15cm x 23cm)
Recto – Signed and with a red stamped Japanese Hanko. Sir Alfred East only added the Hanko stamp to what he considered were his most successful Japanese artworks.

Verso – Signed in pencil Alfred East R.A on the panel. Old Gallery Label: J.A. Cooling & Sons, 92 Bond Street, London

PROVENANCE
Bonhams
Given the quality of the picture and it having a Hanko stamp then it is possible that this is one of the 104 Japanese pictures by Sir Alfred East that was included in The Fine Art Society exhibition of 1890.

Condition - Excellent

Yardley Sky - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5006
Medium - Oil on wooden panel
Size - 6" x 9" (15cm x 23cm)
Recto – AE Monogram over a very faint signature of Alfred East. It would appear that Alfred East signed the painting but then decided to paint over the signature and replace with the monogram.

Verso - Bonhams label. Signed with an address on an original artists label. The label has additional non legible writing including a possible dedication “To the Williams at Yardley” or a possible title of “The Meadows at Yardley”?
A further AE monogram in red on the artists label

PROVENANCE
Bonhams

A Shady Glade - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5010
Medium - Oil on canvas board
Size - 28" x 36" (71cm x 91cm)
Recto - Signed

Verso – A label that reads “A shady Glade” Oil Painting by Sir Alfred East R.A. P.R.B.A. Previously inherited by the artist’s grandson J.A. Churchill
A label that reads “Cooling Galleries, 38 Albemarle Street, London. W1X 4QJ

PROVENANCE
Christie’s

Condition – Excellent

The Shepherd (A Pastoral Scene) - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5011
Medium - Oil on Canvas
Size - 16" x 22" (41cm x 56cm)
Recto - Signed

Verso – Two old labels from different periods with different reference numbers that mention The Fine Art Society. The older label is not particularly legible but shows Ref No: 29051. The second label states “The Fine Art Society, no: 3269, date January 1969. Pastoral. Sir Alfred East RA”

The labels appear to indicate that the artwork was exhibited at The Fine Art Society in London on two separate occasions with the earlier one quite possibly being the Sir Alfred East Memorial Exhibition in 1918.

PROVENANCE
Keys Auction Rooms

Condition - Excellent

Loading Barges - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5015
Medium - Watercolour on paper
Size - 9½" x 13" (24cm x 33cm)
Recto – Signed and inscribed “Loading Barges”

PROVENANCE
From a private house collection in Chobham, Surrey. A number of quality paintings were in the collection including paintings by Alfred de Breanski Snr and other paintings by Sir Alfred East. Some of which included dedications from East to relatives of the previous owners.

Condition – Excellent

Ben Lomond from above Aberfoyle - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5023
Medium – Watercolour on paper
Size - 9½" x 13” (24cm x 33cm)
Recto - Signed and inscribed “To Miss H Keir with Alfred East’s compliments Oct 1885” “Ben Lomond from above Aberfoyle”

PROVENANCE
From a private house collection in Chobham, Surrey. A number of quality paintings were in the collection including paintings by Alfred de Breanski Snr and other paintings by Sir Alfred East. The dedication Recto is from East to a relative of the previous owner.

Condition - Excellent

The Mill - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5037
Medium - Watercolour on paper
Size - 9½" x 13" (24cm x 33cm)

PROVENANCE
From a private collection in Chobham, Surrey. A number of quality paintings were in the collection including paintings by Alfred de Breanski Snr and other paintings by Sir Alfred East. Some of which included dedications from East to relatives of the previous owners.

Condition - Excellent

The Boys Festival, Yokohama - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5070
Medium – Watercolour on paper
Size - 10" x 14" (25cm x 36cm)

Recto – Signed and stamped with a red Japanese Hanko. Sir Alfred East only added the Hanko stamp to what he considered were his most successful Japanese artworks. The streamers (flags) on the poles in the picture are of Carp fish, representing strength and longevity in Japanese culture. In celebration of The Boys Festival it was customary for families with male children to erect a pole on their homes and for it to be topped by one or more carp streamers.

Verso – An old Gallery label that reads “Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport Centenary Exhibition 1967. Title: Boys Festival, Yokohama. W/C Sir Alfred East”.

PROVENANCE
Atkinson Art Gallery
Abbott & Holder

The Boys Festival, Yokohama is possibly one of the 104 Japanese pictures by Sir Alfred East that was included in The Fine Art Society exhibition of 1890. No: 17 within the catalogue is listed as “The Fuji-San – Seen from a street of Yokohama… in which the “Feast of Flags”, the boys’ festival is going to be celebrated.”

Condition - Excellent

Pondside View in the Evening - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5022
Medium – Watercolour on paper
Size - 8½" x 12” (21cm x 30cm)
Verso – Old label from Lady East that reads “Pondside View in the Evening by Sir Alfred East. R.A. Purchased from Lady East”. The label is signed by Lady East.
A letter of authenticity dated 1918 from the William Dennis Gallery, Canada, stating that the painting was purchased from Lady East.

PROVENANCE
Cheffins
COA and old label verso

Condition – Excellent

Evening (Also known as A Quiet Morning) - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5025
Medium - Monoprint (Herkomer Process) on paper
Size - 11" x 14½" (28cm x 37cm)
Recto – Signed in Pencil

PROVENANCE
Single impression exhibited at The Royal Society of Painter Etchers, March 1883.
Exhibition number: 65
Limited Edition of 35 Impressions exhibited at The Royal Society of Painter Etchers, Feb-March 1908. Exhibition number: 96

Condition - Excellent

A Spanish Road - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5030
Medium - Etching on paper
Size - 12" x 14½" (31cm x 37cm)
Recto – Inscribed “Original etching by Sir Alfred East No18. A Spanish Road”

PROVENANCE
Limited Edition of 25 Impressions exhibited by Ernest Brown & Philips at The Leicester Galleries, London, 1914. The impression was done by Mr F Goulding under the supervision of Sir Frank Brangwyn.
Exhibition number: 18
Condition - Excellent

A Wet Day at Hakone - Sir Alfred East (1844 - 1913)

REF: 5035
Medium – Drypoint on paper
Size - 11” x 8½” (28cm x 22cm)
Recto - Signed and inscribed “To Mr Charles Wyllie with compliments” “A --- --- Sketch of Hakone Japan June 1889”

PROVENANCE
Very rare March 1890 edition with a red stamped Japanese Hanko below the AE monogram. From the collection of the highly esteemed collector of etchings, The Hon Christopher Lennox-Boyd. The only other known impression is at The Alfred East Gallery, Kettering, Northants, UK.

Condition – Excellent