A painting recently bought by a leading Scottish gallery is a work by the English satirist William Hogarth, it claims.
The Hunterian museum and gallery in Glasgow, part of Glasgow University, bought the work in 2013 from a private collection, when it was attributed to an anonymous English artist of the 1720s.
But new research by curator Peter Black comes to the conclusion that the painting, which was created as decoration for a room in a house, was painted by Hogarth, the artist whose satire led to the coining of the description 'Hogarthian' to satirical drawings or cartoons.
Hogarth, who lived from 1697 to 1764 was a painter and engraver perhaps best known for his take on contemporary morals of his time, his illustrations of A Rake's Progress and individual images such as Gin Lane, which demonstrates the dangers of excessive drink.
The new research will be published in the April issue of the British Art Journal.
The work in question was acquired by the Hunterian, for an undisclosed fee, from a private collection in 2013.
It is painted in oil on domestic pine panelling and illustrates a scene from ‘Hudibras’, the 17th-century satirical poem by Samuel Butler about life just after the English Civil War.
The painting, which the research dates to having been made between 1724-6, reveals that in addition to working as an engraver, the young Hogarth made decorative paintings in patrons’ houses.
The panel formed part of a ‘painted room’.
Although it is not known how the painting was separated from its original interior setting - or how many other pictures were created with it - it may provide the first evidence of Hogarth’s work as a house painter.
The Hunterian believes the research is "far reaching".
In a statement it says: "Attributions are made all the time and there is no official court that decides, however, if other experts agree that the work is genuine, an oil painting will be added to Hogarth’s oeuvre which predates his earliest known work, ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ of 1728, by some four years."
Mr Black said: "I would said the case I have made is good and I am confident it is a work by Hogarth."
The attribution to Hogarth hinges on the relationship between the painting and two sets of ‘Hudibras’ engravings by Hogarth. A later, larger set of 1726 has a similar scene, ‘Hudibras Triumphant’.
However, the subject is absent from the earlier book illustrations.
Visitors to the Hunterian Art Gallery will be able to see the painting when it is displayed with Hogarth’s relevant ‘Hudibras’ engravings from 5 February until 24 June this year.
The Hunterian is built on Dr William Hunter’s founding bequest.
It features the world’s largest permanent display of the work of James McNeill Whistler, the work of Scottish artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
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