'An Idyll of Summer' by Arthur Wardle – a £40,000 aftersale at Dreweatts.
This 3ft 7in x 5ft (1.08 x 1.53m) signed oil on canvas was more unusual, however.
An Idyll of Summer was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1900 and appears to be a rarer example of his works with a classical theme. The bucolic scene was thought to allude to the mythological figure of Cygnus who, in many of the myths in which he appeared, was transformed into a swan.
Estimated at £30,000-50,000 at Dreweatts’ sale on May 27, it failed to meet its reserve on the day but the auction house reported that it sold post-sale for £40,000 after strong interest came from two UK private collectors who missed the opportunity to bid on the day.
