John Wells Smith (British, fl. 1870 – 1875) (  aka  Wells Smith  ) Pleasant Anticipations, 1882

John Wells Smith is a widely known British artist whose delightful compositions typically depict children engaged in activities normal to 19th century England. His compositions, with attention to background detail, artfully convey the activity and the emotion evoked. A master of the genre, his works have been sold through renowned auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s.