Thomas Benjamin Kennington, RBA, NEAC (British, 1856-1916)


Rare old Stingo signed and dated 'T.B.Kennington '10' (lower right) oil on canvas76.5 x 102cm (30 1/8 x 40 3/16in).
|ProvenancePrivate collection, UK.Thomas Benjamin Kennington was born in Grimsby, and began his training at the Liverpool School of Art, before studying at the Académie Julian in Paris, where Bouguereau was one of his tutors. He began his career painting social realist subjects, depicting impoverished members of society, with works such as Orphans (1885, Tate). These often heart-wrenching scenes of the poorer echelons of society evidence Kennington's interest in social reform. He was also one of the founding members of the New English Club, an exhibition space for artists disenfranchised with the artistic establishment of late Victorian London, with its focus on the Royal Academy. Kennington was also a skilled portraitist and genre painter, receiving multiple accolades including a bronze medal at the Paris Universal Expositions in 1889. The present lot, painted late in Kennington's life, is a wonderful commentary and celebration of English food, drink and culture. It depicts two older men looking admiringly at a pint of beer, the central bearded figure holding it up reverently. Stingo, a type of strong ale originating in the north of England, was typically known to be paired with game meats, beef or strong, flavoursome food. Paint has been thickly applied in places, loose brushwork captures the flaky crust of the pie and the light reflecting on the gentleman's sleeve and the flagon on the left. A dark background serves to emphasize the narrative and bring the viewer firmly into the celebrations.