Postwar Oil Painting Pekingese Dog Watching a Butterfly by Paul Desmond Fitzgerald

Postwar Oil Painting Portrait Prized Pekingese Dog Watching a Butterfly by Paul Desmond Fitzgerald. Impress your clients & guests with this prized dog animal statement masterpiece for your office or home wall space. Title:- “Portrait of a small black Pekingese dog sitting on red velvet tablecloth watching a butterfly” by Paul Fitzgerald dated 1952. Subject:- handsome full length portrait side side on view of a much loved treasured pet of a black Pekingese dog who is very carefully watching the butterfly who is hovering flying just above with such grace. To the left in a glass vase are white flowers standing on a corinthian column, the dog is on a rich red velvet tablecloth. An impressive display size with the frame being 79 cm high and 68.5 cm wide. The shadows of the flowers and vase also the dog have been captured, an exquisite work of art A great example of the animal breed. Circa 1952 mid century era. Oil on canvas, set in the original decorative gilt frame which enhances this painting further. Signed in the top corner corner by the known Australian artist Paul Desmond Fitzgerald. Artist Biography:- Paul Desmond Fitzgerald AM (1 August 1922 – 24 June 2017) was an Australian postwar artist who was primarily a portrait painter of prominent and celebrated individuals. His paintings have fetched up to $10,874 US dollars. His works are exceptionally rare to come to the open market especially this painting as it is an animal subject. Fitzgerald was born in the family home, in the Melbourne suburb of Kew, the second son of Frank Fitzgerald and Margaret née Poynton. Frank Fitzgerald was a journalist with The Age for approximately ten years and about eight years with The Argus. He periodically filled the roles of general reporting, leader writing, political correspondent, art critic, music critic, theatre critic and motoring editor. A Catholic, Fitzgerald was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne (1933–1939) and studied for five years at the National Gallery School (1940–43 and 1946–47), interrupted for three and a half years in the Army during World War II (1943–46). When he was painting away from his studio in Melbourne, he usually lived with the subjects of his portraiture. He lived and painted overseas on commissioned portraits twice each year since 1958 including America, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Jersey, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Hawaii and Bermuda. He also painted throughout Australia. Fitzgerald was a finalist for the Archibald Prize for portraiture on multiple occasions including 1958 (with a portrait of Justice Robert Monahan), in 1962 (with portraits of each of Sir Reg Ansett and Sir Robert Menzies), and in 1972 (with a portrait of Sir Henry Bolte). In 1997 Fitzgerald was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and a Knight of Malta. He founded the Australian Guild of Realist Artists, where he was a life member of the council, and was president for seven years. Fitzgerald was a member of "Portraits Incorporated" in America, is a trustee of the A.M.E. Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prize, and produced the art book Australian Realist and Impressionist Artists, donating the profits to charity. Shortly after returning to Australia in 1957, Fitzgerald married Mary Parker, who was born in Bitton, Gloucestershire and, as a child, had emigrated with her family to Melbourne. Parker's brother, Lieutenant–Commander Michael Parker, was a former private secretary to Prince Philip. Mary Parker attended Genezzano Convent then returned to England and established a successful career as a film actress and television announcer. She returned to Australia with HSV-7 in 1956 to cover the television coverage of the Melbourne Olympic Games and is considered to be the first woman on Australian television, having appeared in their test broadcasts and as a newsreader on their opening night, alongside Eric Pearce (later Sir Eric). Mary and Paul Fitzgerald had seven children; Fabian (born 1959), Marisa (born 1960), Patrick (born 1963, since deceased), Emma (born 1964), Edward (born 1968), Maria (born 1970) and Frances (born 1973). Fitzgerald's hobbies included tennis, music and reading; and he was a member of the Melbourne Club, Victorian Racing Club and Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club. Some of his notable works are The Duke of Westminster,The Duke of Kent, Charles Prince of Wales, Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh & Queen Elizabeth II. The Pekingese (also spelled Pekinese) is a breed of toy dog, originating in China. The breed was favored by royalty of the Chinese Imperial court as a companion dog, and its name refers to the city of Beijing (Peking) where the Forbidden City is located. The breed has several characteristics and health issues related to its unique appearance. Because of its desirable characteristics, the Pekingese has been part of the development of designer crossbreeds, such as the Peekapoo (crossed with a poodle) and Peke-a-tese (crossed with a Maltese). Provenance:- Mrs Moorehead, Grandmother's dog left to Mrs Moorehead of London NW1 by family descent & in the collection of Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd. Highly sought after due to the collectible nature of subject matter. With hanging thread on the back ready for immediate home wall display. Incredible conversation piece for your guests. We only select & sell paintings based upon subject, quality & significance. We provide our clients with friendly professional customer service. 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