A kneeling boy with a sash

Kneeling boy with a sash is an oil painting attributed to Henry Walton which draws upon the work of Jean-Siméon Chardin (1699-1779) and, possibly, the tradition of the single-figure ‘fancy picture’ which emerged in Britain during the first half of the eighteenth century. However, the unusual pose, composition and unfinished appearance of Kneeling boy indicate that it is more likely to be a sketch for a larger work. Walton also painted genre scenes with a more serious satirical edge, conversation pieces and portraits. He exhibited works during the 1770s at the British Society of Artists, where he was elected a fellow and later a director, and at the Royal Academy of Art where he was rejected for membership. He later established himself as a picture dealer and adviser to collectors.