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Lot 1077

CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH BABB (1830-1906) Maiden with fruiting boughs

1872, signed lower left, label to verso in script 'Charlotte Babb, 103 Gloucester Road', painting on ceramic tiles, 60.5cm x 45cm

Condition Report: click here
Estimate: £300 - £500
Hammer price: £750
Bidding ended. Lot has been sold.

There is little published about Charlotte Babb and her life, despite painting and exhibiting all her life. It is known that she campaigned for the admission of women as students to the Royal Academy schools, and in 1861 she was notably one of the first to be admitted. She exhibited consistently at the Dudley Gallery from 1862. Her main medium was in watercolours.

She also became involved with painting ceramics and has been associated with William De Morgan and the Aesthetic Movement. One notable work is listed in The Year’s art as exhibiting at The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and Manchester City Art Gallery in 1891. Composed of thirty 6-inch square tiles depicting a haloed angel with flame like wing before a trefoil arch.

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This lot is in good overall condition with vibrant colour throughout.

There is craquelure to her face and neck which is only apparent on close scrutiny.

The 'grout' is dirty and will need re-doing. The tiles are unevenly laid within the frame. There are no chipped corners to the front.

There are some minor losses to the tiles particularly on the top two tiles on the left-hand side, namely to the fruit boughs and to two other tiles to the centre line at the bottom. 

There are small localised losses to her neck and sleeves but these do not detract from the image.

The frame itself has a small chip to the left corner and is scratched and scuffed from use.


To the back the uneven tiles are apparent as is the patchy grout.

A few tiles have shallow small chips and areas of white 'patching' (probably grout smears)


Please note the label at the back is very worn and indistinct in places.


PLEASE ASK TO SEE ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST TO HELP ASSESS AS TO CONDITION.

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