catalog text
"A SURPRISE PRESENT" BY THOMAS FAED, R.S.A, R.A. (SCOTTISH/BRITISH, 1826-1900)
"A Surprise Present", Signed Lower Right "T. Faed"
Item # 130109JSG20
Likely inspired by a story or experience that struck Faed, the scene captures two young women in a lavish Baroque interior; highborn and well dressed, the interior suggests the household to be one of great wealth and influence. One young woman is kneeling, opening up a woven basket containing several pheasants, each strung and fresh from a recent hunt. The standing figure has a small white note in her hand, possibly written by the young man who hunted and brought them the pheasants as a gesture of interest. The foreground is warmly lit, casting even shadows across the complex folds of their clothing as the dresses drape across the ground; the background is dimmed but highly detailed, featuring a stunning stained glass window spotting a low light on the griffin supported cupboard beside a Queen Anne side chair of wonderful splat complexity. Most of the light for the scene comes from a source to the fore-right, Faed clearly demonstrating mastery of this highly technical and perfect balance to the multiple light sources. Restored and relined, the piece is in simply gorgeous condition.
Thomas Faed was born in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland on June 8th of 1826. Educated in Edinburgh at the Board of Manufacturers School of Design, he was accepted into the Royal Scottish Academy in 1849, subsequently moving to London in 1852 and accepted into the Royal Academy in 1861. Both of his brothers fostered successful careers in the arts, John Faed a highly accomplished painter and James an engraver. Thomas Faed became well known for his fine work in Domestic scenes, particularly focused on the difficulties of life for the Scottish people. His works are very highly sought after and infrequently come to market.
Measurements: [frame] 25" wide x 28 1/2" high; [canvas] 17" wide x 21" high
Condition Report:
Restored and relined: visually in outstanding condition. Light craquelure to varnish, wear along the edges where the frame rubs, frame is cracked in the plaster in numerous areas - no noteworthy loss, but some pieces may be loosened a bit during shipment and need to be reattached: for example, the lowest point of the frame (beneath plaque) the piece is just slightly loose.
[UNDER UV] Restorations. Wash of light green from new varnish, the lower left corner a slightly different tone of varnish suggesting the entire corner has seen restoration; lower-left quadrant overpainting to dress, outline of repaired tear; lower-mid quadrant pheasant on ground appears to have some inpainting and repaired holes/tear; glow of varnish to right of seated girl (middle-right quad) suggests some overpainting to left side of cupboard; some scattered spots of inpainting visible in the UV image.