PORTRAIT OF A BOY (SURROUNDED BY GOLD) [ATTRIBUTED].

Images: (frame) Christie’s catalogue (Fine Victorian Pictures, 15 Jun 1990) / (image) www.meisterdrucke.se.

  • Title(s): Portrait of a boy (surrounded by gold) (this web site); Portrait of a Boy, half length (Christie’s, 1990); Portrait of a boy (Sotheby’s, 2003; David Rago 2018.)
  • Description: Portrait of a young boy turned three-quarters towards the view, upper body only and unclothed, surrounded by gold leaf.
  • Media: “oil and gold leaf on panel” (Christie’s, 1990); “oil on panel” (Sotheby’s, 2003); “Oil and gold leaf on panel” (David Rago, 2018).
  • Dimensions: Average 17⅔ x 111/5 inches (44.9 x 28.4 cm); panel 17 x 11⅜ inches (Christie’s, 1990); “19 by 11¼ / 48 by 23½ cm” (Sotheby’s, 2003); 17 x 11 inches (David Rago, 2018).
  • Signature/date/other text: None reported.
  • History:
    • 1990 Jun 16 – Auctioned Christie’s, London, “Portrait of a Boy, half length / oil and gold leaf on panel / 17×11⅜ in. (43.2 x 28.9 cm.) / PROVENANCE: Lady Morley / £4,000-6,000″, lot 198, sold: hammer £4,000.
    • 2003 Dec 11 – Auctioned Sotheby’s, New York, “19 by 11¼ in … 48 by 23½ cm … The Collecting Eye of Seymour Stein“, passed.
    • 2018 Jan 20 – Auctioned David Rago (Rago Arts), Lambertville, New Jersey, “Property from the Collection of Seymour Stein, Founder, Sire Records / Painting is under glass with a slight warp to the board. There are several nicks with losses along edge of the board where it meets the frame. Minor inpainting scattered throughout (mostly in the body of the figure) and visible under blacklight. The gold paint has cracked in several areas and is separating. The gold area in the center above the figure’s head is flaking with losses … panel only … 17″ x 11″ / Illustrated on page 28 of the catalog”, sold: $5,500, premium $6,875.
  • Location: ?

The identify of “Lady Morley” in the 1990 catalogue is undetermined. [Possibly Lady Morley (née Ayling; 1840-1923) of Blackburn, wife of politician John Morley (1838-1923), 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn.]

Although auction houses state this is by Annie Swynnerton, there is no supporting information (e.g., signature, contemporary lable on back, identifiable exhibition record, provenancial trail). I have therefore classified it ‘attributed’ on this web site pending firmer evidence.

IF THE OWNER of this work sees this page, it would be wonderful if they could contact this site – details of the framing and any labels or marks on the back could give clues to it’s history. All communications are kept in strictest confidence and no personal information about the ownership or location of works in private collections is ever displayed on this web site. Jonathan Russell swynnerton.blog@gmail.com.

There a discussion of the work at artpaintingartist.org (archive,org).

Sincere thanks to V.B., S.R., H.W. (Manchester) and T.C. (Yale University) for their thoughts and observations on this work.

Page last updated 12 Oct 2025.