£13,500
DIMENSIONS: (unframed) 19.9 x 24 in. / 50.5 x 61 cm
SIGNATURE: Signed ‘Ken Howard’ (lower right)
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas
This is an oil painting by the artist Ken Howard of the campo Santa Margherita central to Venice, in the warm amber-tinted light of dusk. Chairs and tables are organised outside of the restaurants and cafes which line the square, and a flock of birds can be seen flying above a tree just right-of-centre, which throws a blueish shadow over the foreground.
For Ken, painting is about three things. It is about revelation, communication and celebration. By revelation, he means giving people a way of seeing, revealing the world around them in a way they have never seen before, opening their eyes. By communication, he means revealing the world with a personal language, speaking directly in an instantly recognisable style. He wants it to celebrate life whether it be human dignity expressed by Velasquez or Cezanne, or the wonders of nature expressed by Corot and Monet. For Ken his main inspiration is light and it is through light that he wants to celebrate his world.
Ken Howard is known for his ability to fuse light and atmosphere in paint. His range of subjects encompasses the studio nude, Venetian scenes and Cornish beaches. “London is my wife and Venice is my mistress,” said Professor Ken Howard OBE RA, whose popular paintings combine keen observation with skilled draughtsmanship. His work is to be found in many private and public collections including the Imperial War Museum and Plymouth City Art Gallery.
Private collection, United Kingdom
We have built up a strong reputation for the quality of the paintings, drawings and sculpture that we curate, exhibit and sell. Our professional associations with bodies such as The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) and the Association of Art & Antique Dealers (LAPADA) are as a result of our reputation for integrity, our wide knowledge of fine arts and the high quality of our stock. Our business standards and expertise are reviewed regularly to adhere vigorously with enforced Codes. Our memberships and commitment to its Code of Conducts, gives our buyers confidence when purchasing a work from us.
Condition reports and certificates of authenticity vary in their nature by artwork, for more information on your pieces of interest, please enquire with the gallery.
Artwork images
We take pride in the attention we give to our images of the artworks for purchase and invest in these to ensure outputs are aligned as closely as possible to the item in reality. We do not apply filters or modify images, we provide high quality images to reflect the high quality of our artworks.
Payment processing – You can be assured that payments are securely processed through Worldpay’s trusted payment gateway.
Shipping and packaging requirements are assessed per piece to ensure the most suitable protection for the artwork. Trinity House will therefore call following purchase to agree the recommendations and costs.
We offer the following services which we will be happy to discuss with you following your purchase, alternatively you can enquire for more information.
We offer insurance appraisals to protect your prised artwork and help you find the right cover and policy for you.
We are able to advise on framing and have access to every type and style to suit any artistic period or room setting.
The nature of the materials involved in a painting mean that on occasion some pieces are susceptible to movement and the effects of natural ageing. We are able to provide advice on practical measures to conserve the original condition of a piece and have relationships with restorers and framers to offer you a range of services to meet your needs.
The Modern British painter, Ken Howard regularly paints subjects including the studio nude, Venetian scenes and Cornish beaches.
Howard was born in London in 1932 and studied at Hornsey School of Art from 1949 to 1953, before completing his National Service with the Royal Marines. He then returned to study at the Royal College of Art in 1955, and in the same year held his first solo exhibition at the Plymouth Art Centre. From then on he exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally, particularly with the New Grafton Gallery from the early 1970’s. In 1973 he was appointed by the Imperial War Museum to be the official war artist in Northern Ireland.
Throughout his artistic career, Howard has won a number of major awards and gained memberships to a variety of prestigious organisations. He was elected as a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1966, the Royal West of England Academy in 1981 and became an honorary member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1988. Continually exhibiting at the Royal Academy since 1964, Howard was elected as a Royal Academician in 1991 and became President of the New English Art Club in 1998.
Among his numerous awards are the First Prize in the Lord Mayor’s Art Award in 1966, first prize in the Hunting Group Awards and the Critics Prize at Sparkasse Karlsruhe, Germany in 1985. He now divides his time between his studios in Cornwall and London. His work can be found in many private and public collections, including the Imperial War Museum and Plymouth City Art Gallery.
