{"product_id":"self-portrait-as-a-cavalier","title":"Self portrait as a Cavalier","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam Arthur Breakspeare RBA RBSA 1856-1914, was an English portrait and genre subjects painter. William's father was a still life painter who worked within the flower painting and Japanning trade in Birmingham. William Arthur Breakspear was associated with the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists and was a Founder member of the Birmingham Art Circle, he travelled to Cornwall where a number of Birmingham artists were establishing a colony of Birmingham painters. He painted a large number of historical dress and costume pictures of which this is one. We have concluded that this portrait of a cavalier is a self portrait as the sitter's eyes are almost certainly focused on the painter's easel and probably painting from a mirror image. The picture is unsigned however it is certainly his own work, hence the failure to sign it. Breakspeare studied in Paris and Antwerp and exhibited works at the London Royal Academy. A large number of his pictures have a 17th Century Dutch look and style of dress including this self portrait, he was clearly inspired and continuously influenced by the Cromwellian period of 17th Century England where the Midlands were a prominent feature of the Royalist campaign.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"William Arthur Breakspeare","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57445008441689,"sku":null,"price":2380.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/9957\/1801\/files\/KA206-Breakspeare_206_1__master.jpg?v=1776283297","url":"https:\/\/vaughanfineart.im\/products\/self-portrait-as-a-cavalier","provider":"Vaughan Fine Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}