William Powell Frith, RA (British, 1819-1909), and Thomas Creswick (British, 1811-1869) 'A Gleaner' signed and dated 'W.P.Frith 1850' (lower left) oil on canvas 89.2 x 64.5cm (35 1/8 x 25 3/8in). Footnotes: Provenance Commissioned by Mr Birt for 150 guineas, c.1850; Mr. Pender, Arlington Street, London by 1888. Private collection, UK. Exhibited London, Royal Academy, 1851, no. 502. A smaller, half-length version of this composition dated 1849 was sold at Sotheby's on the 18th March 1987, lot 98. It is likely that this was the version bought by Mr G.C. Dewhurst of Birmingham for thirty guineas and exhibited at the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in 1887. The commission for the present lot is explained by Frith in his memoires; 'Before the picture [the version owned by Dewhurst] left me it was seen by a Mr. Birt, who was forming a collection of small pictures, and by his suggestion I repeated the subject, but changing the half-length into a representation of the entire figure, with a background of Scottish mountain scenery. Before beginning the second picture, I wrote to Mr. G- [Dewhurst] asking his permission, as I felt bound to do, and he replied that he would consent on the condition of his having the refusal of the proposed picture. The background became of such importance in the new work that I feared to undertake it, and I proposed to Creswick that he should assist; to this he consented for 'a consideration'. The picture was finished; Mr. Birt saw it, and offered what appeared to me to be the monstrous sum of a hundred and fifty guineas for it. After many struggles between my modesty and my avarice, and after hearing from many friends that I should be a bigger fool than I looked - which I was assured was impossible - if I asked Mr. G- a lower price than another was willing to pay, I accordingly wrote to Mr. G-, and received the following reply: 'DEAR SIR, If I read your note correctly, and you ask the sum of 150 guineas for the picture of the 'Gleaner,' I beg to decline it. Yours, etc., J.G-.' I was not surprised, and Mr. Birt was pleased – or he said he was – when he paid the largest price I had then received for so small a work.' W.P. Frith, My Autobiography and Reminiscences, 1888, 2 volumes, vol. I, p.193-4. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com