"Is'e Biggest"
Arthur Elsley
| Title | “Is’e Biggest” |
| Artist | Arthur Elsley |
| Paper Size (W x H) | 20 x 28 ins |
| Edition Size | 50 |
| Price | £330.00 |
This painting by Arthur Elsey, Is'e Biggest, is signed and dated 1892. It was exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1892 which sold for £150. It was auctioned at Christie’s, London in 1894 and was brought by Vokins for £111.6s. It is now owned by Haussner’s Restaurant in U.S.A.
This painting was an adaptation of a real incident. Elsley once saw a little girl measuring two dogs. It depicts an innocent little rogue in a pink frock and white pinafore, measuring her height against a big, good natured St. Bernard. In spite of the thick book she is standing on she still falls short of being the biggest by a couple of inches.
The dog is looking at the girl with his soft brown eyes with a look of amused tolerance and gentleness. The sense of humour comes out in this pretty scene. This version has a skipping rope near the book on the floor there is another version where the prop is a shuttlecock.
The print is hand numbered and accompanied by a certificate signed by the Master Printer and bearing a matching number to the print.
About the Artist
Arthur Elsley
Arthur John Elsley was a fine example of this phenomenon of Victorian animal art. He was born on the 20th November 1860 in London, the son of John Elsley, a coachman, and one of a family of six. His father was an amateur artist who had exhibited an oil painting entitled “A Group of Horses” at the British Institution Exhibition in 1845.
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