🌄 “Windermere Sunrise from Bowness” – Original British Landscape Oil Painting by Alfred de Breanski Jr. (1877–1957)
🎯 Subject & Medium:
Presenting a serene and luminous early 20th-century British landscape oil painting, titled:
“Windermere Sunrise from Bowness”
This peaceful and highly detailed scene by Alfred Fontville de Breanski Jr. beautifully captures Lake Windermere at sunrise, viewed from Bowness in England’s iconic Lake District. Golden morning light filters through an overcast sky, casting a tranquil glow across the rugged mountain range and glassy lake waters below.
🎨 Medium: Oil on canvas
🖋️ Signed: “A. Fontville” lower left; inscribed verso
🗓️ Date: Circa 1920
🖼️ Frame: Original, deep-set decorative giltwood frame
🎨 Composition & Technique:
Painted in a soft Impressionist-inflected realist style, Breanski’s composition blends precise naturalism with glowing light effects. The towering peaks glow with amber sunrise tones, while the shadowed valley edges enhance a dramatic chiaroscuro effect—inviting the viewer to wander visually into the distance.
🌿 Key features include:
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Soft golden reflections shimmering on the lake
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A small masted sailboat at rest in the distance
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A solitary shepherd in a red cap with grazing sheep
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Three birds in low flight over the still water
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Lush grasses and reeds in deep green and bronze tones
🎨 Palette Highlights:
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Warm ochres, moss green, and umber tones
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Cool grey-blues and lavender skies lightening toward the horizon
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Gentle tonal transitions that evoke mist, depth, and morning calm
The brushwork is confident yet nuanced—delicately layered in the sky and water, with bolder texture in the grasses and craggy hills. A fine example of Breanski Jr.’s best work, it balances mood, geography, and masterful colour harmony.
🧑🎨 About the Artist – Alfred Fontville de Breanski Jr. (1877–1957):
Alfred Fontville de Breanski Jr. was a distinguished British landscape painter, son of renowned artist Alfred de Breanski Sr., and painter Annie Roberts. Educated at St. Martin’s School of Art, he later worked in France, where he encountered James McNeill Whistler—whose soft light and tonal control subtly influenced his own style.
Breanski Jr. exhibited regularly at prestigious venues such as the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of British Artists. His favourite subjects were the Scottish Highlands, Welsh valleys, and the Lake District, all painted with romantic detail and atmospheric light.
His works continue to attract collectors globally, with auction records reaching over $20,000 USD.
🏞️ About the Location – Lake Windermere:
Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, stretching over 11 miles through the heart of Cumbria’s Lake District National Park. Celebrated by Romantic poets, artists, and travellers, Windermere has inspired generations since the 19th century.
Bowness-on-Windermere, depicted here, remains one of the most treasured and scenic viewpoints, known for its peaceful charm and enduring appeal to visitors.
🖼️ Frame:
Set in its original grand giltwood frame, with fine decorative moulding and rich golden tone that perfectly complements the landscape’s warm palette.
📐 Frame Dimensions:
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Height: 71.5 cm
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Width: 92 cm
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Depth: 9 cm
🪝 Hanging thread attached – ready to display.
🏛️ Provenance:
From a private Shire collection, acquired via a distinguished middle Shire auction house, now offered by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD, specialists in fine British and European art.
💖 Why You’ll Love It:
✅ Original signed painting by listed British landscape master
✅ Depicts a celebrated Lake District viewpoint at dawn
✅ Subtle impressionist tones with realist detailing
✅ Rich original gilt frame – statement piece ready to hang
✅ Perfect for collectors of English countryside art or interior designers
✅ A warm, elegant addition to any fine art collection
🧾 Condition Report:
🖼️ Painting Surface: good overall condition with foxing, age-related craquelure, and minor tonal variation appropriate to age
🖼️ Frame: Structurally sound; shows general scuffs, cracks, chips, and some minor touch-ups consistent with a gilt wood frame.
🌍 Worldwide Shipping Available
Professionally packaged and fully insured for safe international delivery.
🖼️ Available exclusively through Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
📩 Inquire now to secure this unique piece