Museum number
A366
Object
Framed Pastel: Love Songs and Matches by John Russell (1745–1806). Pastel on paper, 1793
Description
3/4 length 'fancy picture' of a boy with blond hair and brown eyes, holding a basket containing bundles of matches over his right arm and holding up a sheet of love songs with his left arm. He looks out of the picture and wears a white shirt, green waistcoat with silver buttons, some undone, and a torn and tattered beige jacket. A grey dog, begging is on the bottom right of the picture. Background, landscape on the right and side of a brick building on the left.
On display?
No

Further description

Simple name
Pastel
Dimensions
framed: 8cm (d) x 107cm (h) x 91cm (w)
regular: 90cm (h) x 69.5cm (w)
Love Songs and Matches John Russell (1745–1806) Pastel on paper, 1793 John Russell was a master of pastel, a soft-textured medium whose bright colours were ideal for images of children. This little match boy with his vivid cheeks, ragged coat and fluffy dog is selling printed ballad sheets and bundles of home-made matches. His large bright eyes, gazing straight at the viewer, are echoed by the eyes of the dog as it begs on its hind legs. One of Russell’s finest works, this was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793. Bequest of Ernest E. Cook through the Art Fund, 1955 A366

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