“A Call to Arms” – Monumental 19th Century English Pre-Raphaelite Oil Painting in Gilt Frame

“A Call to Arms” – Monumental 19th Century English Pre-Raphaelite Oil Painting in Gilt Frame Origin: England Date: Circa 1850–1870 Medium: Oil on canvas (relined) Dimensions: 149 cm wide x 127 cm high (58½ x 50 in, including frame) Condition: Very good. Craquelure present. Professionally relined. Minor historic restoration. Housed in an elaborately carved and recently re-gilded 19th century frame. A powerful and beautifully rendered mid-19th century Pre-Raphaelite oil painting, titled “A Call to Arms.” This large-scale English work captures a poignant narrative moment: a father, clad in armour, is assisted by his children as he prepares to leave for war — his son fastening the breastplate and his daughter sewing the lining into his helmet. The intimate domestic ritual is dramatically juxtaposed against a lush, serene rural landscape seen through the doorway. The handling is meticulous, with close attention to the sheen of armour, folds of clothing, and dappled light in the meadow beyond. A small goat quietly eating fallen foxgloves adds symbolism and rustic charm to the scene. The painting is unsigned but evidently the work of a sophisticated and technically gifted hand. This is a painting of considerable emotional and decorative impact, steeped in narrative realism and Victorian romanticism. Provenance: St Peter’s Manor, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire Style: Pre-Raphaelite / Narrative Victorian Type: Historical genre painting Frame: Original 19th century carved giltwood frame, recently re-gilded