CONSIGNED by a local private client from Shropshire, this portrait of a singlemounted Cossack led the picture section of Trevanion & Dean’s (21% buyer’s premium) January 21 sale in Shropshire.
The small 19 x 17in (49 x 43cm) oil on mahogany board was painted by Władysław Szerner (1836-1915), a Polish artist noted for his detailed restoration of costumes and weapons from the time of the Swedish wars, the Tatar and skirmishes with the Cossacks.
“It was meticulous in its detail and almost appeared to trot off the panel at you,” said auctioneer and partner Aaron Dean. Bearing a restorer’s label from 1967, the picture was in good condition and attracted plenty of pre-sale interest.