Landscape oil painting of a village tavern by John Holland Snr

John Holland Snr
British, (1830-1886)
The Malt Shovel Tavern
Oil on canvas, signed
Provenance: Frost & Reed

A wonderful painting of figures sat outside a village inn by John Holland Senior. A wagon is shown delivering supplies as another cart drives off towards a windmill in the distance. In the foreground two people cut a log in half whilst their family looks on. The Malt Shovel Inn was most likely the one at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire. Over 500 years old, it was located on Malt Shovel Lane, and was originally a bakery, becoming an inn sometime during the mid 1700’s. It remained as a pub until its closure in 2016. The windmill in the distance was situated outside Lambourn on the road to Baydon. It was built in 1771 but was demolished around 1887 and is now the site of a farm.

John Holland Senior was a painter of landscapes and coastal scenes who was born in Nottingham around 1830. He was the son of a painter and brother to Samuel Holland also a painter and sign writer. He was also uncle to his namesake John Holland (1857-1920) whom he taught to work in charcoal and Samuel S. Holland, both of whom were artists.

By 1861, he had become a full time artist exhibiting at Suffolk Street from around this time until 1879, at the British Institution between 1865-1866 as well as exhibiting locally in Nottingham. He never married and lived for many years with his father, brother and his family at Vernon Street, Nottingham. Around 1867, he moved to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire where he exhibited locally. He would also often travel around the British countryside and coast to paint. 

He spent a few years in West Yorkshire but by 1871 had moved back to live with his family in Nottingham. However, he spent his final years living at Trebray Lodge, Tintagel, Cornwall where he died on 7 February 1886.

A number of his works are held by the Buxton Museum, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Nottingham Art Gallery and the Williamson Art Gallery.

Presentation: The painting is housed in a new, English made gilt frame which is in excellent condition. The reverse bears an old label for Frost & Reed. Frost & Reed are a well-known fine Art Gallery, frame maker and fine art publisher founded in Bristol in 1808 by William Hill. The business was bought by John Frost in 1859 who ran it until his death in 1875. His nephew Walter Frost took over the business and in 1881 brought in William Reed as a partner. They opened a branch in London in 1908 at Duke Street, St James’s, later relocating to 26c Kings Street in 1927. After the building was damaged by bombing in 1943 they moved to 41, New Bond Street. Since the turn of the millennium they have been based in King Street.
Condition: As with all of our original antique oil paintings, this work is offered in ready to hang gallery condition, having just been professionally cleaned, restored and revarnished.

© Benton Fine Art

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance