George Smith (1829 - 1910)

A fabulous painting of a difficult subject which is given real warmth and humanity.
George Smith was a painter of Victorian life - often domestic. He was born in London and trained at Cary's and then the Royal Academy schools.

Three of George Smith's works are in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and one in Nottingham Museum. On two occasions his work was reproduced as engravings in the Art Journal (1863 and 1867). On the back of this painting is an article cut from The Times in January 1967 referring to another of his paintings. It says:
"George Smith provides a piece of genre painting in his "Sleeping Bootboy", c. 1880, that would bear comparison with any Dutch "little master".

His "Home be it ever so Humble" fetched a rather startling £75,000 (including buyer's premium) at Sotheby's in June 2001against an estimate of £30,000 - £50,000 (plus premium).

His work is illustrated in The Dictionary of British Art Vol. 4