"The Fisherman's Widow"

[Suzi]

Anna-
If you fancy a fortnight in this may help

http://www.bbcprodrams.com/pbs/catalog/antiquesroadshow/ardesc.htm

Well I hope it will.........it takes you through all the programmes!

Failing that googly Antiques Roadshow!

Suz x

[CitizenX]

This is the page of the illustraed London news showing the fisherman's widow by Burger. The same print was also printed in the Illustrated London Almanac as a full page print.

kevin

[Dan Norder]

Hi Kevin,

I actually bought both of those prints several days ago. I have the London Almanac version already and was waiting for the Illustrated London News one to get to delivered before I said anything here.

[CitizenX]

Hi Dan,

I posted this originally a while back on the old forums...I dont have either copies.... this version is from www.old-prints.com.

I particulary like the Mary Kelly / French connection again. This particular print was exhibited in the French Gallery in Pall Mall along with the other Burgers print "Paris fashions" lets hope the theorists don't come up with a "Burgers did it" sceanario!!

Kevin

[Dan Norder]

I don't recall the information being posted before, but I have to admit that once I tracked it down and saw the actual illustration there was the feeling somewhere in the back of my head that I had seen it before.

I've still got others coming in too. I think we can now safely rule out all the prints that were not specifically named "The Fisherman's Widow" when there are better candidates out there.

[CitizenX]

I posted it about 2 weeks before the board went down...i think Sam or Glenn commented on it...

The newspapers description was one of "a cheap print" and you can't get much cheaper than one ripped straight out of a magazine.

I doubt also that the local hack would be much of an art expert, so he would have little chance of naming a painting without the name being there in front of him to quote.

Kevin

[Sam Flynn]

I doubt also that the local hack would be much of an art expert, so he would have little chance of naming a painting without the name being there in front of him to quote.

Good point, Kevin. It would hardly have been worth his while going out of his way to find out either, when "cheap print hanging on the wall" would have sufficed.

[Debra A]

Hi all
This may have been mentioned before as I didn't see the old thread either, Reynold's Newspaper of April 21 1867 carries an advert for Part XXX111 for May edition 1867 of the London magazine Bow Bells. The whole contents of the magazine are listed and under fine arts and illustrations is 'The Fisherman's widow.' The artist is not named in this case though.
I haven't got access to the magazine itself, so I don't know what the print is or who it's by.

[Dan Norder]

Hey Debs,

Based upon the date it wouldn't surprise me if that ended up being the same Burger illustration, but without seeing it it's hard to say. Plenty of paintings with this title could be out there. There are at least three more paintings that went by that name that I am trying to get more information on... although I guess it's possible that the Charles Lewis one, the one Anna mentioned seeing on Antiques Roadshow and the new one someone's trying to sell me a print of might turn out to be the same as each other.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Dan!

I think, the best way to track down the "real" Fisherman's widow is the same as you have suggested with MJK's face;

Let's use the contemporary illustrations!

But then the following problem occurs;

Even the best ones are in the "generally speaking" fashion!

All the best
Jukka

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi everyone

Just to add one point which has not been raised in this thread at present..I did a little research into Kelly's bedroom when constructing a 3D model..

We never reached a diffinative conclusion on the painting.

However Andy Aliffe raised an interesting idea that possibly the 'Fishermans window' had some religious significence..

Kelly was buried in a catholic cemetary and the Fisherman's Widow might possibly be a reference to 'Mary'.

just an observation

Pirate

[Mike Covell]

Is this the one?

http://www.angel-art-house.com/oil_painting_details.aspx?ID=15560

[Dan Norder]

Hi Mike,

That painting has been suggested as being the Fisherman's Widow, but it's not titled that. The print in Mary's room was specifically said to be called "The Fisherman's Widow," which suggests that the title was written on the print. If that's the case, then that painting clearly is not the right one, and neither would be most of the paintings suggested over the years.

Incidentally, I have some Victorian prints of images actually titled "The Fisherman's Widow" that will be on display at the conference in October. I have two different cheap print versions (printed in different years) of one painting and a different print by the title never seen anywhere before. All of them are originals from the period, and they're certainly the best candidates yet. One of those three prints will even be available in the auction, so someone could take home the exact same kind of print that Mary had.

[Mike Covell]

Thanks for the clarification Dan. Still not well enough to travel long journeys, otherwise I would have sold the wife to come over!

I always thought the "Fisherman" reffered to an artist with that surname.

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi Mike

As the Norder correctly points out noone knows for sure.

What can be summized is that it was probably a cheap print, if it was worth anything it would have been flogged..for rent.

And as I said i rather like the idea of a religious significance for MJK.

A madonna would just make sense and be very available, mass produced etc.

Yours Pirate