William Underhill (British, fl.1848–1871)
William Underhill (British, fl.1848–1871)
Snowballing
Oil on Canvas
- Signed lower right. Indistinctly inscribed on label verso.
- Similar listed to £15,000 GBP at auction.
- There are 3 paintings by this artist in the British National Art Collection.
- Painting - 79cm x 92cm
- Frame - 110cm x 122cm
Notes
A superb large example of the work of William Underhill depicting children in a snowball fight in a snow covered winter landscape. Signed lower right.
Condition
In very fine condition. The canvas not lined though with two small patched repairs with professional corresponding restoration. Clean, most attractive, well framed and ready to hang.
Artist Information
William Underhill (fl. 1848–1871) was a British painter known for his genre scenes, sporting subjects, coastal landscapes, and mythological themes. Born in Birmingham, he was the brother of Frederick Charles Underhill, who also pursued a career as an artist. Underhill was primarily based in London, where he exhibited his works at several prestigious institutions, including the Royal Academy, the British Institution, and the Society of British Artists at Suffolk Street.
Underhill began exhibiting in 1848, and his works gained attention for their sentimental yet realistic portrayal of everyday life and rural themes. Notable paintings shown at the Royal Academy include Irish Emigrants in 1849; Cupid and Psyche in 1851; and The Salmon Trap in 1856.
His painting The Raft, exhibited at the Portland Gallery in 1859, was reviewed in the Art Journal as a “daring essay, successful in many points,” describing a dramatic scene where a man assists a woman from the sea. This work exemplifies his ability to capture narrative and emotion, a quality that characterized much of his genre painting.
Although Underhill's works are relatively rare, some of his paintings are held in public collections, including the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. His oeuvre aligns with Victorian tastes, as he combined genre themes with a Romantic sensitivity to character and environment. His style and subjects have been compared to those of the Victorian genre painters who idealized rural and maritime life, often focusing on sentimental depictions of youth and labour.