Story of short-lived but thriving village art school revealed as works are auctioned

Yahoo

10-06-2025

Today's Object of the Week is a collection of paintings with links to a 19th century art colony based in a North Yorkshire fishing village.
A rare collection of vibrant British Impressionist paintings linked to artistic communities in North Yorkshire is to be auctioned.
The artworks, related to the flourishing communities of Staithes and Fylingdales, near Whitby, will be up for sale at Tennants Auctioneers, based in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, on July 12.
The collection comprises pieces by notable artists Florence Hess and her mentor, Mark Senior, which have been owned by one family since they were created.
The vendor's great-grandmother, one Mrs Sykes, worked as a cook for the Hess family in Leeds in the early 20th century.
Her daughter, who often accompanied her to work, became a close friend of Florence Hess.
The Florence Hess painting, Picnic by the Sea, has an estimate of £7,000-10,000. Hess became a member of the Fylingdales Group based on the North Yorkshire Moors (Image: TENNANTS AUCTIONEERS)
Their friendship lasted for years, with Hess gifting her friend numerous paintings on special occasions.
Born in Leeds, Florence Adelina Hess (1891-1974) was a student at Leeds College of Art, where she was taught by Mark Senior (1862-1927).
Senior was a leading member of the Staithes School of artists, known for their inspiration from the French Impressionists and their depiction of everyday life.
The Staithes Group was formed in the picturesque North Yorkshire coastal village in 1894. The group consisted of more than 30 artists, including Gilbert Foster, Fred Jackson, and Senior, who had been working in the area since about 1880.
For the next 30 years, the Yorkshire coastline became the focal point for the artists who took inspiration from the French Impressionists, painting en plein air and capturing the lives of everyday people.
As Senior's most notable pupil and assistant, and having accompanied him on numerous painting trips to Staithes and the continent, the influence of Senior's free-flowing and spontaneous style is evident in Hess's own work.
Hess herself became a member of the Fylingdales Group based on the North Yorkshire Moors, and in 1928, she visited the Cornish artists' colony in St.Ives.
Mother and Child in a Sun-Drenched Garden by Florence Hess has an estimate of £4,000-6,000. Hess studied at Leeds College of Art under tutor Mark Senior (Image: TENNANTS AUCTIONEERS)
Some notable pieces from the collection include Hess's 'Picnic by the Sea,' estimated to be worth between £7,000 and £10,000, and 'Mother and Child in a Sun-Drenched Garden,' valued at between £4,000 and £6,000.
There are also smaller works by the artist, with estimates starting at £180.
Mark Senior's work in the collection includes 'The Beach,' a piece inscribed on the reverse with "from Mark Senior to Florence Hess".
The Staithes Group's success ultimately led to its downfall.
There was no location large enough to hold a growing number of canvases, and the August exhibitions clashed with the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition.
Additionally, there weren't enough wealthy patrons in the North East to support the artists' ambitions.
After 1907, the group disbanded, and the artists pursued individual futures.
The Fred Lawson paining, titled 'October Fair, Leyburn', also featues in the auction with an estimate of £500-800 (Image: TENNANTS AUCTIONEERS)
In addition to the Hess and Senior collection, a selection of Yorkshire works from the collection of Alfred A Haley of Walton, Wakefield, will also be on sale at Tennants.
Haley, a wealthy mill owner, was a significant patron of Yorkshire artists, buying their work and forming friendships with many.
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He was also an amateur painter and honorary member of the Staithes School.
Highlights from his collection include 'October Fair, Leyburn' by Fred Lawson, estimated at between £500 and £800, "Betty" by Jacob Kramer, worth between £600 and £900, and 'Wood Waggoners, Wharfedale' by Herbert Royle, estimated at between £500 and £800.
All figures exclude buyers' premium.