There are two inaccurate ideas about Pettie's work floating around the art world, both due to misreadings of the biography written by Matthew Hardie, Pettie's nephew.

Hardie found a list of paintings among his uncle's papers and that list is published in the book. The mistake is in assuming that the list is complete. Nothing on the list or elsewhere among published papers actually says this is a complete list. However, two factors suggest that it is incomplete. A review of the list shows that these are almost all paintings done specifically for the Royal Academy, or portraits done for/or specific people. Meanwhile, Hardie notes that Pettie had a rapid painting technique and that he loved to demonstrate this technique to others. The number of paintings on that list is surprisingly small for a fast painter who liked to show off, which strongly suggests that other paintings were done and simply not listed.

The other problem is the idea that numerous paintings were burned after Pettie died. Pettie had a room full of vintage props from the 17th and 18th century, props that he used in many of his paintings because he loved that period and the style of Rembradt and Hals. The contents of that room were destroyed, props, not paintings.

An examination of the canvas and frame clearly show that these are of the proper period. I have also compared the signature to various photos of Pettie signatures. His signature varies widely, but all of the most notable qualities of this signature show up elsewhere in the known signatures, the lean, the small quirks. A forger would have had to copy about 5 different Pettie signatures to get one like this, hardly likely.

I don't know where the misreadings of Hardie began or why people have blindly accepted them, but it is misinformation and does a disservice to the art world.

Paintings: Item 11

I suppose some would lump John Pettie into the British
category, but let's be fair and precise and say Scottish (1839-1893). This oil on canvas example is historical in
nature, depicting a 17th century-looking gentleman smoking a pipe. The loose, painterly style is in the manner
of Dutch Baroque painters such and Frans Hals, which is in keeping with the subject matter. The canvas is
marked, G. Rowney & Co. London, W Quality F. Rowney was a reputable company, also of the appropriate
period. I'm not sure when in his career Pettie did this particular painting. It's signed J. Pettie R. A. so it's at least
after he became a member of the Royal Academy. Circa 1880 would be fair.

Exterior dimensions are about 18 3/4" by 22 1/2" while interior dimensions are about 9 1/2" by 13 1/2".

Although there is no written documentation that I am aware of, Pettie appears to have done a series of
paintings in the style of the cavaliers done by Hals. We have two, and I have heard of one other. Pettie was certainly fond of the 17th century. He even
had a room full of vintage props to use when he did portraits.

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