The large 4ft 9in x 3ft 6in (1.47 x 1.07m) oil on canvas by sporting painter Frederic Whiting (1874-1960), offered at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) on September 11, drew interest from both the trade and private bidding before it was knocked down to one of the latter for £2600. The price was over four times the top guide.
“For this period, it was quite rare to see a female sitter in trousers or jodhpurs and it may have been this that was part of the painting’s appeal,” said Francesca Argyle of Bellmans.
A partially torn label to the back of the painting (inset) names the sitter as Nancy.
While the auction house did not identify the subject in the catalogue, she seemed to bear a strong resemblance to Nancy Mitford.
