A RARE collection of paintings by a family of artists is expected to make £25,000 at auction.

The Burleigh family were artists living in Brighton during the first half of the 20th century.

Partners Charles and Averil Burleigh were regular exhibitors at the Royal Academy and the Royal Institute, with their works also widely exhibited across Sussex.

Their collection of work is set to go under the hammer at Woolley and Wallis auctioneers in Salisbury on December 7.

The Argus: Rare paintings by the Burleigh family to go under the hammer for £25,000 Rare paintings by the Burleigh family to go under the hammer for £25,000

Painting's specialist Victor Fauvelle, who is handling the collection, said Charles was more of a traditionalist who worked with oils in a “skilful academic manner”, while Averil was more “graphic and stylised”.

“Her early work is heavily influenced by Romanticism, but after 1918, she began painting with tempera and adopting more medieval themes,” Victor added.

The couple’s daughter Veronica, also an artist, was influenced by both parents, showcasing the naturalism of her father combined with the more modern approach of her mother, according to Victor.

The family often travelled in a group painting landscapes together and scenes of traditional life in different countries - several of which are represented in the collection at auction.

“The collection belonged to Peter and Mary Grant who became friends with Veronica after years of collecting the work of the Burleigh family,” Victor said.

“She stayed with them at their house in Oxfordshire, and a painting of that house is included in the auction.”

“A high number of the works by all three members of the Burleigh family remain in private collections and seldom come onto the open market,” Victor added.

“It’s extremely rare for this many works to be sold at once and we hope that they will attract the interest that they deserve.”

The Argus: Rare paintings by the Burleigh family to go under the hammer for £25,000 Rare paintings by the Burleigh family to go under the hammer for £25,000

During and after the Second World War, painting supplies were difficult to obtain, so the Burleigh family moved to painting in watercolours.

The collection includes several examples of watercolour landscapes by Averil, as well as an Art Deco style portrait of the Ballet Russe dancer Nijinsky.

It is being sold as part of the Modern British and 20th century art auction at Woolley and Wallis auctioneers.