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Lot 245: John Eaton Walker (fl. 1855-1866)

Est: $9,540 USD - $15,900 USD
Christie'sLondon, United KingdomFebruary 19, 2003

Item Overview

Description

The Son of William Tell signed and indistinctly dated 'J. Eaton Walker./62' (lower right) oil on canvas, painted arch 23 7/8 x 173/4 in. (60.6 x 45 cm.) PROVENANCE Anon. sale, Christie's South Kensington, 27 November 1997, lot 210, when acquired by the present owner. EXHIBITION London, British Institution, no. 392. NOTES John Eaton Walker was born in Birmingham. He moved to London in the late 1850s, and established himself as a painter of literary and genre subjects, exhibiting at the Royal Academy, British Institution and Suffolk Street. Walker portrays William Tell's son in heroic mode, contrasting with Millais' later depiction of a victorious child displaying the apple successfully halved by his father's arrow. Whilst Millais' picture has the centralised format of a portrait, Walker's picture is distinctly narrative. The boy's hat and cape lie to the right, and another richly coloured garment hangs down behind him. The effect is to suggest that his hands are tied, and Walker further accentuates the boy's powerlessness by showing one shoulder exposed. His physical vulnerability is a measure of the trust he places in his father. The boy gazes directly at the viewer, who in this case takes the place of William Tell. We have arrived at the crux of the drama; presumably the arrow is about to be released. The apple target glows golden, taking on qualities beyond its own, as Tell's direct hit will win him accolades beyond mere sporting prowess. The boy's eyes seem to accost us, willing a good end, as if by connecting himself to his father he can exert some power upon the arrow's path - challenging it to interrupt this conduit of living communication.

Artist or Maker

Auction Details

THE FORBES COLLECTION OF VICTORIAN PICTURES AND WORKS OF ART

by
Christie's
February 19, 2003, 12:00 AM EST

8 King Street, St. James's, London, LDN, SW1Y 6QT, UK