"The Start of the Day" | William Shayer, Sr.

WILLIAM SHAYER, SR.
British, 1788-1879

"The Start of the Day"

Oil on canvas | signed lower left "Wm Shayer Sr"

Item # 012PGJ11S  A bright and atmospheric painting by self-taught luminary of Romantic era genre paintings William Shayer, the Elder, this pleasing scene captures a busy coastal beach where fishermen ready their boats for the day. Shayer's ability to work with light to dramatically emphasize characters and elements is clearly at work in this scene, the low-lying sun casting clear warm light across the water to highlight the young girl breaking from her chores to chat with an older boy. He is resting, perhaps having finished his duties as an early morning fisherman, as a basket nearby is filled with the day's catch. A terrier lies watching the two, translucent light scattered across his coat while half of his body lies hidden in opaque shadows of the nearby rock.

This work was acquired at Christies in New York during their auction of American Paintings from the Mrs. George Arden Collection on May 23rd of 1991, the original labels still retained on the reverse. It was then acquired from the gallery of Frederick W. Thom, Ltd. in Toronto, Canada and was held in a private collection until now.

Housed in an early and quite fine giltwood composition frame, this is an exquisite example of Shayer's work - brilliant light, exquisite detail and a warm scene that truly convey Shayer's love of British life and countryside.


Born in Southampton, William Shayer Sr. started out painting rush-bottom chairs before leaving for Guildford where he set himself up as a coach-painter. His work was well-regarded and word soon spread regarding the quality of his coats of arms, leading to his commission to paint the funeral escutcheon of the 4th Earl of Richmond. Shayer continued to paint coats of arms and heraldic devices but in his free time he turned his attention to landscape paintings.

On a visit to Southampton to spend time with his family, Shayer received instruction from the seascape painter Jock Wilson (whom Shayer would soon surpass in terms of their respective ability to paint coastal and sea views). Shayer moved to Bladon Lodge in Shirley, near Southampton, an area renowned for its beautiful skies and rejected all overtures by his peers to return to London.

The self-taught artist would become beloved for the great breadth of his genre compositions. While the sea and the coast were always close to his heart, he painted all aspects of British life: gameskeepers, gypsies, shepherds, hawkers, townsfolk selling at markets or resting at country inns and farmers doing chores.

Shayer married Sarah Lewis Earle in 1810 and fathered William Shayer the Younger, Charles Waller Shayer and Henry Thring Shayer. He was admitted membership to the Society of British Artists in 1862 and showed 338 paintings at the Society exhibitions from 1825 to 1870. He also exhibited 6 works at London's Royal Academy and 82 paintings at the British Institution. (Source: Benezit)

In essence, William Shayer painted genre compositions featuring fishermen, gamekeepers, gypsies, shepherds, hawkers and the like. He ranks alongside John Frederick Herring and Thomas Sidney Cooper in the pantheon of 19th-century English landscape art. Artist Listings & Bibliography: E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. XII, Gründ, 2006, p. 1095-1097 Provenance: Christies, New York, 23 May 1991, lot 204, estimated $ 10,000-15,000, achieved $ 8,800 USD With Frederick W. Thom Ltd, Toronto, Canada
Measurements: 29 1/8" H x 39 3/8" W [canvas]; 35 7/8" H x 46 5/8" W x 3" D [frame] Condition Report:
Relined. Professionally cleaned and conserved, sealed in a traditional dammar varnish. Under UV examination, scattered spots of touchup throughout the sky, inpainting to craquelure and thinning paint lower left corner behind the dog and in the darker shadows, touchups to the resting boy and nearby elements (just above the fish in the basket, etc.) - inpaint appears to account for less than 5% of the overall surface. Light craquelure throughout. The surface shows traces of overcleaning and thinness of the oil in numerous spots. Early frame in overall good condition with minor breaks and blemishes - upper left outer edge (the border after the cove molding just before the wall begins) re-gessoed and with associated inpainting; other old touchups to the frame. A very fine presentation, ready to place.