Charles Bentley O.W.S. (1805-1855) - Château of the Duchesse de Berry at Rosny

Charles Bentley was predominantly a marine artist who was initially apprenticed to the engraver Theodore Fielding (a brother of the more famous Copley Fielding). For the apprenticeship Bentley spent time in Paris and worked on plates after Richard Parkes Bonington. This close study enabled Bentley to learn the style of Bonington and this in turn shaped his own working methods. In fact, sometimes works by Bentley have been misattributed to Bonington. Bentley also became close friends to William Callow whilst in Paris and the two helped each other develop as artists. They travelled together on sketching tours including to Normandy on several occasions between 1836 and 1841.
 
This beautiful watercolour is after the works by Bonington on the same subject 'Château of the Duchesse de Berry at Rosny'. These include a watercolour held in the British Museum (museum number: 1910,0212.223) and an oil painting in the Nottingham Museums Collection. These both date to around 1825. Bentley has closely followed Bonington's style and it is easy to see how some of his works have been misattributed to Bonington himself.
 
The Château de Rosny-sur-Seine is a château in the Louis XIII style and is situated in Rosny-sur-Seine in Yvelines. It is on the left bank of the Seine with the river being in the foreground of our watercolour. The estate was famously owned by the Duchess of Berry at the time of Bonington's composition. She was the widowed wife of the Duke of Berry and mother of the heir to the French crown.
 
Medium: watercolour with scratching out on paper, 23 x 31cm, framed (43.5 x 52cm).
 
Provenance: Bonham's Sale 1 – 3 July 2008, lot 620.
 
Condition report: generally in very good condition for its age. There is small bit of time staining which is most obvious in the sky. Please see photos.