Arthur at 16 Months

Golden-haired Arthur Vernon was the eldest child of Samuel Richards and his wife Maude Mary Collyer. He was born in October 1891 in Nottingham where his father worked as a dealer in antiquities. Arthur grew up to join the family business and in 1919 he married Mabel Taylor. He died in Southampton in 1976 at the age of eighty-five.

The portrait was painted in February 1893 by Arthur’s aunt, Kate Winifred Collyer (1867-1949), the younger sister of his mother. The girls were the daughters of Viccars Collyer, a Leicestershire grocer and his wife Elizabeth. Maude became a teacher whilst Kate studied at the Birmingham School of Art and became a professional miniature painter. She married Benjamin Walker in 1900 and continued to paint and exhibit miniatures.

The portrait is signed on the obverse ‘K.W. Collyer Feb. 1893’ and is set in the original gilded frame with a blue enamel border. The frame is glazed on the reverse to show the artist’s full inscription – Arthur Vernon / son of / S. Richards Esqre / The Old Friary / Nottingham / Painted by / K. Winifred Collyer / Feb 16th 1893.

The portrait is in fine condition; the frame has a spot of loss to the enamel and two small areas of restoration.