The Shortening Winter's Day is near a Close facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Shortening Winter's Day is Near a Close |
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| Artist | Joseph Farquharson |
| Year | circa 1903 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 82 cm × 120 cm (32 in × 47 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
The Shortening Winter's Day is Near a Close is a famous painting by Scottish artist Joseph Farquharson. He painted it around 1903. This artwork, and a few similar versions, shows a shepherd looking after sheep. The sun is setting through snowy trees, making a beautiful winter scene.
One of the main versions of this painting is very large. It measures 117 by 171 centimeters. You can find it at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, England. Another version, which is 82 by 120 centimeters, was sold to a private art collector in 2013. A smaller version, 51 by 76 centimeters, was sold in 2016. This smaller painting is sometimes called Beneath the Snow Encumbered Branches. Many people know this image because it has been used on popular Hallmark Christmas cards for over 30 years!
Contents
About the Artist and Painting
Joseph Farquharson's Love for Winter Scenes
Joseph Farquharson was a painter who loved to capture winter. He owned a large piece of land in Scotland called Finzean, in Aberdeenshire. This estate was about 20,000 acres. He often painted the snowy landscapes there, especially scenes with sheep. Because of his many paintings of sheep in the snow, people sometimes called him "Frozen Mutton Farquharson."
Why Farquharson's Paintings Were Popular
Farquharson's snow scenes were very successful. He showed them almost every year at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. This happened from 1894 until 1925. A company called Frost & Reed helped him sell many copies of his paintings. This meant he always had a good income. The Shortening Winter's Day is Near a Close is one of his most famous works. The main version was shown at the Royal Academy in 1903.
Creating Multiple Versions of Art
Artists sometimes make several copies of their best paintings. Farquharson did this too. He might have made them to sell to more people. Or he might have kept them as reminders of his work. Sometimes, artists made copies for engravers. Engravers would then create prints from these copies. This was useful if the original painting was not available. A very popular print of The Shortening Winter's Day is near a Close was sold thousands of times.
The Painting's Journey Through Time
When the Paintings Were First Shown
The main painting, which is now at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, was first shown in 1903. It is not known exactly when the 82 x 120 cm copy was painted. But it was probably soon after 1903. It might have been made for someone who wanted to buy the original painting but couldn't.
Sales and Auctions of the Artworks
The 82 x 120 cm version of The Shortening Winter's Day is near a Close was sold at auction in 2008 by Sotheby's. It was sold again in 2013 by Bonhams. In 2013, it sold for about £157,250, which was around US$200,599.
The smaller 51 x 76 cm version was seen at the Richard Green Gallery in 1972. It was also shown in Country Life magazine that year. A company called WN Sharpe bought the rights to use this painting on greeting cards in the 1970s. Later, Hallmark Cards bought WN Sharpe. Hallmark still owns the rights to use the painting today.
The Christmas Card Painting
In 2008, someone from Hallmark said that this painting is one of their most popular Christmas cards. They thought it was because of the special feeling Farquharson created. It shows a dramatic but gentle winter scene. Over the years, this painting has been printed on hundreds of thousands of Christmas cards.
The 51 x 76 cm version was sold to a private collector in Scotland in the 1960s for £1,450. When it was sold again in 2008, it was called Beneath the Snow Encumbered Branches. People were very interested in it because it was known as the "Christmas card painting." It was sold at auction in Edinburgh for more than twice its expected price. Another private collector in Scotland bought it. This painting was sold again in 2016 for £146,500, which was about US$186,800.
In 2009, Gyles Brandreth talked about the painting's history on a BBC TV show called The One Show.
Artistic Details and Inspiration
Where the Painting Was Created
Like many of Farquharson's landscapes, this painting was created on his estate at Finzean. One of his family members, Sir Angus Farquharson of Finzean, later thought he found the exact spot where the painting was made.
The Shepherd in the Painting
The shepherd in the painting was actually one of Farquharson's employees. The artist asked him to pose for the picture. While painting, Farquharson noticed the man was getting very cold. He offered the man a chance to warm up inside his painting hut. But the man said no. He wanted Farquharson to finish the painting quickly.
