The following description for has been prepared entirely by the current owner, Roberts S. Fastov, Esq., and, at the collector’s request, has not been edited by Sloans & Kenyon

Note 1) The source of the following Hicks’ biographical information is Wikipedia:

“George Elgar Hicks (13 March 1824 – 1914)[1] was an English painter during the Victorian era. He is best known for his large genrepaintings, which emulate William Powell Frith in style, but was also a society portraitist.

Born on March 13, 1824 in Lymington, Hampshire, George Elgar Hicks was the second son of a wealthy magistrate. His parents encouraged Hicks to become a doctor and so Hicks studied medicine at University College from 1840-42. However, after three years "ardous and disagreeable study" Hicks decided he wanted to be an artist. Due to these circumstances, Hicks began training considerably later in life than most artists of the time. In 1843, Hicks attended Sass's Academy[2] and by 1844 had entered the Royal Academy Schools.

In 1847 Hicks married Maria Hariss and six of their eight children were born in the seven years following. He did not achieve much success as an artist during this period and later referred to his art at this time as "small and unimportant." He blamed this on the fact he had little time to study art or interact with other artists, due to a busy family life.

In 1859, Hicks painted his first large genre painting, Dividend Day. Bank of England (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1859) - following the success of Frith's paintings Ramsgate Sands and The Derby Day at the Royal Academy. It was a typical genre painting, showing a scene from the Bank of England and featuring a broad range of social classes. He painted several more large modern life paintings in the following years which were generally poorly reviewed by critics. These include The General Post Office. One minute to 6 (1860),Billingsgate Fish Market (1861) and Changing Homes (1862). Hicks' paintings were often of subjects that no other artists attempted, such as the General Post Office and Billingsgate Fish Market. Hicks was one of the few artists that showed lasting interest in the emulation of Frith's style and is generally considered Frith's principal imitator.

By the late 1860s, the popularity of genre painting had declined and Hicks began to focus on historical subjects, leading to society portraiture in the 1870s.

In 1884, Hicks remarried following the death of Maria in 1881. He retired in the 1890s and died a month before the declaration of World War I in 1914.”

Note 2) Note 1) Hicks was and is a favorite of collectors of his genre paintings and his portraits of beautiful young society women or beautiful women engaged in some kind of everyday activity. See Wikipedia for a brief portrait sketch of Hicks. Like the Gibbs' “The Butterfly Fan,” which preceded this lot, the date of the execution of Symphony in White and Pink,” 1901, was painted when the subject of society women dressed in white and light colored dresses and broad brimmed hats were highly desirable and valuable, which is still applicable in today's art market. Of all the Hicks' portrait studies that have sold at auction, per Askart.com and Artprice.com, “Symphony in White and Pink” is, perhaps, his most attractive, feminine and subtle overall portrayal of a beautiful young society woman on canvas. It is certainly the most Impressionistic of any such portrait studies. “Symphony in White and Pink” is by far and away the largest of Hicks' portrait studies and is in excellent condition. At auction, many relatively small Hicks' portrait or genre studies of women, approximately 20 in. x 15 in. or slightly less or more, and which are approximately ½ the size of “Symphony in White and Pink,” 38 in. x 28 in. , sell in the range of $20,000-$30,000. However, Hicks paintings of this small size have commanded prices in the $30,000+ range and in excess of $40,000, e.g., $47,222. His record price for one of these smaller paintings is the hammer price of is $66,876, excluding the buyer's premium, for a 16 7/8 in. x 14 in. stunningly beautiful portrait of “Zilla,” which sold on 3/12/1997 (below) A number of Hicks paintings have commanded in excess of $60,000. Hicks' record prices at auction were $523,005 and $359,346. In short, the presale estimate for “Symphony in White and Pink” of $40,000-$60,000 is reasonable and justifiable, given the foregoing considerations. Any serious collector of Hicks or Impressionist portrait art should give serious consideration to bidding upon, buying and enjoying “Symphony in White and Pink.” See the auction data and photographs below.