2001 - Mallett Gallery

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MALLET T Established 1865

MALLETT Gallery

141 New Bond Street, London W I S 2BS Telephone: +44 (0)20 7499 7411 Fax: +44 (0)20 7495 3179

Mallett Gallery 141 New Bond Street London W I S 2BS Telephone: + 44 (0) 20 7499 7411 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7495 3179 James Harvey Director

Mallett & Son (Antiques) Ltd 141 New Bond Street London W I S 2BS Telephone: + 44 (0) 20 7499 7411 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7495 3179

Mallett at Bourdon House Ltd 2 Davies Street London W I K 3DJ Telephone: + 44 (0) 20 7629 2444 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7499 2670

Mallett Website: www.mallett.co.uk E-mail: antiques@mallett.co.uk

F r o m cover: P i e r r c - A u g u s t c Renoir, Tete Fmime

Jeanne Samary (Pages

dejeune

fiI-92).

F r o n t i s p i e c e (detail): J o h n H a m i l t o n M o r t i m e r .

A Self Portrait of the artist. (Page !)9).

Left (detail): J a n G r i l l i e r t h e FIder. I'iew of Rnchestfr.

(Page 52).

Contents Sporting Paintings

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

John Nost Sartorius

8

Tete dejeme

Margaret Collyer

10

Condition Report

85

English School

12

Renoir's Models

87

Richard Jones

13, 14

Jeanne Samary

87

John Frederick Herring Sr

16, 17

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

88

Dirk Dalens II

18

Renoir and Portraiture

91

Richard Barret Davis

22

Sir Alfred Munning»i

26, 27

John \\'ootton

28, 33

John Boultbee

36

Ben Marshall

37

40

Hendrick Willem Schweickhardt

42

J a n Verdussen

46

Richard Bankes Harraden

48

J a n Griffier the Elder

52

Gaston de LaTouche

55

Tobias Strano\er

56

Marine Paintings

82

Figurative Paintings

Landscape Paintings Solomon Delane

Fmime - Jeanne Sammy

Angelica Kauilmann

76

Princess Louisa Hollandina

78

Sir Joshua RcN iiolds

95

Sir Peter Lelv

96

John Hamilton Mortimer

99

William Hoarc of Bath

100

William Turner of Oxford

104

John Varley

105

Lillian Stannard

106

Ernest Arthur Rowe

109

English School

110

Watercolours

A De Wignacourt

112, 113 114, 115

John Clexeley Sr

63

French School

Nicholas Pocock

65

Thakur CJanga Singh

116

John Askew

66

Edmond Leche\allier-Ghevignard

119

Peter Monamy

68

Paul-Cesar Helleu

120

Thomas Whitcombe

70

William Monk

122

Sporting Paintings

John Nost Sartorius 1759-1828

Mr Christopher Wilson's Bar Racehorse

I'ROXKN.WCi:

G u i n e a s Classic with Charlotte a n d the first

'Sophia' with jockey up on the Rowley

Painted for C h r i s t o p h e r Wilson at O x t o n

2,000 G u i n e a s with

mile at Newmarket

Stud, Yorkshire, 1801

Signed a n d dated 1801, a n d inscribed

S o p h i a was a bay racehorse foaled in 1 798,

G r a f t o n ' s Flambeau as a three year old o \ e r

'Sopliia by Buzzard" lower right

got by Buzzard out of Hmcamunka

the Rowley mile at N e w m a r k e t . I'his was

Wizard.

Sophia is depicted after w i n n i n g h e r m a t c h for 200 guineas against the D u k e of by

Oil on can\ a.s

Highjtyer. She was b r e d by C h r i s t o p h e r

In a G e o r g i a n c a r \ e d a n d gilded (Vaine

Wilson at O x t o n , the 'Doyen of the English

the second time she h a d been p a i n t e d by Sartorius: she a p p e a r s as a foal in

U n f r a m e d : 28 x 36 in / 71 x 91.5cni

Turf a n d Father of the J o c k e y C l u b ' . Wilson

Mares and Foals at Oxton p a i n t e d bv- the

F r a m e d : 34'/2 x 42'/i in / 87 x 107 cm

was the w i n n e r of the very first 1,000

artist in 1 798.

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Margaret Collyer fl. 1893-1910

Dandie Dinmont Signed and dated 1899 lower right Oil on canvas Unframed: 28 x 37 in / 71 x 94 cm Framed: 32 x 41% in / 82.5 x 106.5 cm The Dandie Dinmont is a rare breed that was probably developed from the nati\ e roughhaired terriers working in the hill countryalong the border between Scotland and England. The peculiar name of 'Dandie Dinmont' originates from a character of that name in a novel by Sir \Valter Scott entitled 10

Guy Mamering. In this book Dandie Dinmont was actually based on a real person named James Davidson of Hyndlea, a farmer who owned a pack of terriers fitting the description of the rough haired breed from the borders.

This breed, having previously been called 'Pepper and Mustard' was renamed after the publication of this book and have sincc been known as Dandie Dinmonts.

Margaret Collyer was a very skilled artist who was based in Nottingham and exhibited at the Royal Academy in the late nineteenth century. The Dandie Dinmont is standing in a show pose.

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English school l-^arlv 19th c e n t u r v

King Charles Spaniel

Spaniels were po|)ular in France a n d

Oil on c a m as

fourteenth c e n t u r y a n d were used in

E n g l a n d as c a d ) as the m i d d l e of the L ' n f r a m e d : 20 x 25 in / 51 x 6 3 cm

haw king a n d to spring a n d retrieve fowl.

I'Vamcd: 26V. x 3 1 i n / iM x 8 0 c m

T h i s spaniel is p a i n t e d with the skill a n d c h a r m typical of m a n y unsigned British d o g paintings of the early n i n e t e e n t h century.

Richard Jones 1767-1840

A Black (Jocker Spaniel

studio in London n e a r his friend A b r a h a m Clooper R.\ in the early years of the

By 1824, J o n e s had mo\ ed to Lincolnshire where he worked for Lord ^arborotigh, who

Oil on canvas

nineteenth centiiry. His snbjects are those of

had ]ireviously emplo\ed ( J e o r g e Stubbs as his

U n f r a m c d : 26 x 31 in / 6 6 x 78.8 cm

horse, hound and S|)()rt and are depicted in

s]5orling artist. By 1830, he was establislied in

Framed: 32 x 37 in / 81.2 x 94 c m

a highly recogni.sablc and personal style. His

B i r m i n g h a m , and painted mimcrous pictures

R i c h a r d Jonc.s, 'one of the better sporting

paintings are very rarely signed, though their

for the rising industrial class who had mo\ed

technic|ue m a k e s them easily identifiable. He

out into the countryside.

painters ol' his time' (Sally Mitchell,

worked as the "house" artist to Arthiu'

Dictionary

A c k e r m a n n , the dealer in sjjorting art w h o

g u n d o g in a rural setting that is very

a r r a n g e d m a n y commissions for him.

reminiscent of Stubbs.

of Equestrian Artists', p a g e 28()) w a s

a native of R e a d i n g w h o m a i n t a i n e d a

The |)resent painting cle])icts a well loxed

13

Richard Jones 1767-1840

A portrait of three favourite hunters, with a groom approaching holding a feeding tray Oil on canvas U n f r a m c d : 34 x 44 i n / 86.5 x 112 cm Framed: 46 x 50 in / 116.5 x 142 cm PROVKXANCK

Pri\ ate collection, Rome 'Jones' portraiture of both horse and rider was excellent and powerful. He tended to paint a good sort of deep-bodied horse. He paid great attention to detail and his distant landscapes are delightful and with warm colouring' (Sally Mitchell, op cit.).

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John Frederick Herring Sr 1795-1865

Equestrian portrait in hunting pinks of Hugh, 12th Earl of Eglinton and Winton Signed and dated 1826 on gate post Oil on can\'as Unframed: 22 x 30 in / 56 x 76 cm Framed: 27 x 35 in / 68.5 x 89 cm I'ROVK.NA.NCi: Windsor T White, Cleveland, Ohio, 1928 John Frederick Herring Sr is ]K-rha])s the bestknown I'>nglish s])oriing jjainter of the first half of the nineteenth century. His output was

16

prodigious (especially bearing in mind the very liigh 'finish' in his paintings) and it has retained a tremendous po])ularity amongst collectors from his own times to today. His subjects are \ irtually all based on animal themes; portraits of horses, iuinting scenes, farmyards, dogs and other domestic creatures are all to be found in his work. He was born in London, the l'>nglish son of a New \ b r k American father of Dutch extraction. He took up painting in about 1815, which is the date of his earliest recorded painting. I5y 1820, his .style had de\'eloi)ed from these early beginnings to

become iiotably fluid and fine. His best work dates from about 1820 to the mid 1840's, and he has left us with an unparalleled visual history of the Knglish countryside in its heyday.

'Fhe ])resent ])ainting is a perfectly preser\'ed examjile of the early maturity of the artist, which shows him at the height of his powers.

John Frederick Herring Sr 1795-1865

Portrait of Sir Hugh Hamilton

Mortimer,

Master of the Old Surrey Hounds, on his chestnut hunter Signed and dated 1846 lo\\cr left Oil on canvas L'niVamcd 28 x 36 in / 71 x 91.5 cm Framed: 33 x 40 in / 83.9 x l()l.(i cm Sir Hugh Hamillon Mortimer was Master of the O l d Surrey hounds, one of the oldest packs in the south of England. He was a member of the I'amily of John Hamilton Mortimer, the distinguished (ieorgian artist (see page 99).

17

Dirk Dalens II 1659-1688

A wooded landscape outside a country

Dirk II w a s i^orn in 1659. Like his father he

house, with sportsmen

painted views of the countryside, and w a s

is elegantly designed a n d sufliisecl with

particularly noted for his compositions of

w a r m southern light a n d is reminiscent of

S i g n e d lower niid-left

large pastoral scenes. It is possible that the

the work of Frederick and Isaak de

Oil on canvas

artist worked in France in the 1680s as this

Moucheron.

In seventeenth eentiiry carved and gilt Iranie

])ainting depicts a French country hou.se and

of oak-leaf a n d acorn I'oini

there is a similar work by him entitled

]30sthum0usly in 1688, a n d continued the

L'nframed: 35V. x 69',A in / 9 0 . 8 x 1 76.5 cm

Huntsman

family's 150-year tradition of landscape

Framed: 43'/. x 77'/, in / 109.8 x 196.2 c m

the M u s e u m of Fine .Art in B o r d e a u x , France.

painting into the fourth generation. He

He w a s the pu|)il of both his father and

died in 1753, sixty-fne y e a r s after the

hawking

near a country house (dated H)83) in

signed e x a m p l e s are known. Fhe painting

His son, Dirk Dalens III. w a s born

Dirk Dalens II w a s tiie grandson of the like-

grandfather, but his style w a s altogether more

n a m e d Dirk Dalens I ! I()()0-167()) a n d the

"modern", taking on the elegant Italianate aii'

son of Willem Dirksz. T h e y were both

which had been introduced into Dutch

of Dalens" refined <)ut|)ut, a n d should be

landscape painters in H a a r l e m a n d

painting by such artists as J a n Both a n d

considered as at least the ecitial of a n y of

Dordrecht a n d , later, in A m s t e r d a m , w h e r e

Nicholas Berchetn. His work is rare, and few

his small recorded ocuvre.

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death of his father.

File present p a i n t i n g is wholly t ) p i c a l

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Richard Barret Davis 1782-1854

John Musters Esq on his grey horse Baronet and his hounds meeting at Covert-side in Annesley Park, Nottinghamshire, with his first whip T Maxwell on the brown mare and second whip on the chestnut. The hounds are: Comedy, Bluecap, Harkaway, Collier, Reginald, Rummager, Nimrod, Druid, JS'iobe, Pnmrose, Hotspur, Wachman, Duster, Hector, Freeman, Anxious, Frederick and Pillager.

Signed and dated 1845 lower right Oil on canvas Unframed: 40 x 50 in /102 x 127 cm Framed: 50% x 61 in / 128.3 x 155 cm PROVKNAXCE

By family descent until 1975 when sold by Ackermann to Bo Johnson Esq, Stockholm from whose agent acquired by Mallett.

ENGRAVED

By C E Wagstaff, London, and dedicated to 'The Fox hunters of the United Kingdom' and published August 4th 1847 by Ackermann & Co, 96, The Strand.

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Richard Barret Davis was horn into a family

George III was under Sir Francis Bourgeois.

of very keen huiitsmeii. His father was the

He then trained under William E\ ans, drawing

Gentleman Hunters' such was his skill and

celebrated R B Davis Sr, huntsman to the

master of Eton College, followed by Sir

enthusiasm for the sport. His fortune was

Xottinghamshirc, was named 'The K i n g o f

Royal Staghounds and brother to the equally

William Beechey who was the royal portrait

dedicated to the life of a sporting squire and

famous Charles Da\ is, Master o f the King's

]5ainier. hi 1831 he was ajipointed animal

he was a leading light in the golden age of

Buckliounds. Richard Barret Davis' life was

painter to King William IM WlUi such an

fox hunting. H e was master o f the Pytchley

centred on the royal residence at Windsor,

important position at court, his work was in

hunt from 1821 to 1827. He married M a r y

where for years he was a keen foot-follower

great demand and he recei\ed many

A n n CMiaworth who was the sole heiress o f

of hounds.

His initial art training at the behest of

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commissions from the aristoerac\' and the

the old family o f Clhaworth of Annesley

gentr\'. J o h n Musters of Colwick,

wliose house is visible in the present jjainting.

Sir Alfred Muniiings, PRA 1878-1959

A Mare and Foal Beside a Sunlit Wood A Bay Mare in a Paddock

M u n n i n g s b e g a n his c a r e e r with a n

Horse Fair, w a s e x e c u t e d in 1 9 0 1 . In 1 9 1 0 h e

a ] i p r e n d c e s h i p to a f i r m o f l i t h o g r a p l i e r s , whilst

s p e n t the s u m m e r p a i n t i n g o u t s i d e , li\ i n g in a

at the s a m e t i m e s t u d \ i n g p a i n t i n g at e x e n i n g

c a r a x a n in the R i n g l a n d Hills n e a r X o n v i c h

classes. Desj^ite losing the sight in his right eye

a n d p r o d u c i n g a series o f b e a u t i f u l ])aintings.

a f t e r a n a c c i d e n t in 1 8 9 8 , h e w a s d e t e r m i n e d to

The enthusiasm a n d success which greeted

A pair

p a i n t a n d the f o l l o w i n g y e a r two o f his

this series led h i m to join the artists" c o l o n y at

O n e sii^ncd a n d d a t e d 1 9 1 2 l o w e r left

p a i n t i n g s w e r e s h o w n at the R o y a l A c a d e m y .

N e w l y n in Clornwall the f o l l o w i n g s u m t n e r ,

Oil o n c a n v a s U n f r a n i e d : 20'/2 x 2 4 in / 5 1 . 5 x 6 1 c m

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H e h a d a lifelong fa.scination with p a i n t i n g h o r s e s a n d his first m a j o r c o m p o s i t i o n , .1 Suffolk

f r o m w h e r e it is likely that h e p a i n t e d the |)resent pair.

lurncr. His ability to express volume, space

1920 he |5ainted The Bekoir Hunt (now in the

sent by train to him in Cornwall. The resultant

a n d m o v e m e n t with a few decisive ijrush

Paul Mellon Pri\ate Collection) which was

painting, Hunter Out to Grass, shows her in what

strokes separates him from the laboured

included in a successful exhibition at the .M])ine

is almost certainly the same ]5acidock as the

'colour ]5hotograph' style of laic \'ictorian

C l u b in L o n d o n the following year, a n d in 1925

present jiair of paintings, a n d indeed she m a y

horse painting.

Early in 1912 M u m i i n g s h a d his own m a r c

e \ e n l)c the same marc. All three paintings

At the end of the First World W a r

he was in\ited In- (^ueen .\hiry to paint The Ascot Procession Crossing Windsor Park (Royal

have the same spontaneity a n d directne.ss,

M u n n i n g s exhibited his portrait of General

C;ollection). H e was knighted in 1944, a n d for

showing M u n n i n g s as a master of plein air

Seeley on Horseback to great acclaim, creating a

the next five years s e r \ e d as the President of the

painting in the tradition of Constable a n d

new d e m a n d for his equestrian portraits. In

Roval Academv.

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John Wootton 1683-1764

Mr Richard William's Bay Racehorse Squirrel lead by a liveried groom near the rubbing-down house at Newmarket Signed Oil on cam as Contained in fine carved and gilded frame Unframed: 38 x 48 in / 96.5 x 122 cm Framed: 4672 x 54% in / 118.1 x 138.4 cm PROVENANCt

J W Barney Esq; with Ackermann 1965

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Squirrel was a bay colt b r e d by M r Smith of M i d d l e h a m , Yorkshire in 1719; got by M r M a t t h e w Lister's Snake (son of the Lister Turk) out of a m a r e by the Ancaster Turk, her d a m by a son of the Pulleine Arabian. Squirrel was b o u g h t by R i c h a r d Williams f r o m Smith; subsequently o w n e d by A m b r o s e Cowley a n d , o n his demise, by R i c h a r d Williams again.

An o u t - a n d - o u t stayer, Squirrel was a m o n g the first horses to show the h u g e benefits of good A r a i j blood in the d e v e l o p m e n t of the English t h o r o u g h b r e d . ^Squirrel, at high weights, was greatly superior to any horse of liis time in E n g l a n d ' {Portraits of Famous racehorses, Vol 1, page 22 (1887).

Wootton is without peer as the most accomplished a n d successful British equestrian painter of the first half of the eighteenth century; w h o has left us a rich heritage of equestrian portraiture a n d sporting painting.

Working for the most e.xalted clients at court, he was a keen follower of h o u n d s a n d an h a b i t u e of the turf.

H e was b o r n at Snitterfield in Warwickshire, a n d was trained initially by J a n Wyck, a D u t c h i m m i g r a n t p a i n t e r of countrylife, whose work he ver\' soon surpassed. H e was the horse p a i n t e r p a r excellence of the English turf, a n d has left a n unparalleled record of the a p p e a r a n c e of most of the great t h o r o u g h b r e d s of the age, a n d t h e A r a b horses f r o m which they were bred. His p a t r o n s r e a d like a roll-call of the great a n d the good of the W h i g l a n d o w n i n g classes. His m a j o r surviving commissions, often on a vast scale, a r e in such houses as Longleat a n d Althorp.

T h e present p a i n t i n g shows the artist in a relatively early {circa 1 725) date in his illustrious career, w h e n his palette was relatix'ely higher in tone.

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A portrait of a Bay Horse with a liveried groom in a landscape by a group of classical buildings Signed mid-right on plinth Oil on canvas In a fine carved and gilded Georgian frame Unframed: 39 x 48 in / 99 x 122 cm Framed: 46% x 54'/? in / 118.1 x 138.4 cm I'R()\I;N.\nce

By descent at Middleton Park, County W'estmeath, Ireland, in the Boyd-Rochfort family until sold in 1958 to y\ckermann; Paul Mellon KBE, acquired from Ackermann and subsequendy (1963) resold to them; accjuircd in the same year from Ackermann by the father of the last owner.

The present painting is typical of Wbotton's sophisticated output in the years around 1740, when the artist was showing a greater interest in classical landscape painting allied to his animal portraiture. T h e portrait of the groom is notably fine.

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John Boultbee 1753-1812

Two Favourite Hunters at Grass

sent to L o n d o n with letters of introduction

great G e o r g e S t u b b s .\RA, m a n y of whose

to Sir J o s h u a Reynolds f r o m their

works were to be f o u n d in the houses of the

Oil on canvas

g r a n d f a t h e r the Rev T h o m a s Boultbee.

U n f r a m c d : 28 x 36 in / 71 x 91.5 c m

Boultbee received s o m e furtiier training

h u n t i n g scjuires of Leicestershire. At its best Boultbee's work has an a u r a of calmly

f r o m Sawrey (Jilpin R.\, a n d was soon

observed, gentle light allied to an a n a t o m i c a l

p a i n t i n g equestrian portraits as good as

a c c u r a c y of the highest order. His horse

PROVKNANC;!-:

those of his teacher. In a b o u t 1 785 he

portraits 'show beautiful solidity of b o d y ...

Private collection, Franco

r e t u r n e d to his native Leicestershire, a n d

the composition is always pleasing' (Sally

settled n e a r L o u g h b o r o u g h .

Mitchell, lyictionary of Equestrian Artists, p a g e

F r a m e d : 33 x 40% in / 8 4 x 103.5 c m

J o h n Boultbee was b o r n at O s g a t h o r p e in

Whilst Boultbee's paintings in his m a t u r e

128). In 1812 Boultbee m o v e d to Liverpool

Leicestershire in 1 753. Both he a n d his twin

style of a b o u t 1790-1810 reflect the style

w h e r e he exhibited n u m e r o u s pictures at the

b r o t h e r T h o m a s were e n c o u r a g e d to

a n d teciinicjue of Sawrey (iilpin, they also

Liveri)ool A c a d e m y until his d e a t h a few-

b e c o m e painters, a n d in their early 20's were

show an acute awarencs.s of the work of the

m o n t h s later.

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Ben Marshall 1768-1835

Mr John (ioddardls Cambric with

B e n j a m i n Marshall was b o r n at Seagrave in

p r o d u c e d f r o m his brush d u r i n g this period

Frank Buckle up beside the Great Ditch

Leicestersiiire. H e worked initially as a

rank with the \-ery greatest works (jf the

.schoolmaster, a n d seems not to have taken

FjUglish School of a n i m a l painting.

at Newmarket racecourse

u p p a i n t i n g until a b o u t 1 790. I le was

T h e present painting, with its free a n d

Signed, inscribed Cambric a n d dated 1812

introduced in the following year to William

m i d d l e riglii

Pochin Esc|, the local m e m b e r of

precise d r a w i n g a n d acutely observed ec|uine

Oil on canvas

p a r l i a m e n t , w h o in t u r n introduced him to

a n i m a t i o n , is f r o m the period of Marshall's

U n f r a n i e d : 33 x 40in / 8 3 x 101 c m

his first Master, the portrait p a i n t e r Lemuel

best paintings. It is also in a ciuite

F r a m e d : 42 x 48 in / 106.8 x 121.9 cm

Francis A b b o t . Marshall's progress was

exce|)tional state of presei-vation, a n d a]jart

rapid, a n d by the m i d d l e of the 1 790's he

f r o m its brief trip to Christie's in 1927 (when

KXiiinrn.i)

was being patroni.sed by H R H The Prince of

it was b o u g h t back, Ibr an e n o r m o u s price,

Leicester, 19()7, Bicentenary Kxhibilion of the

Wales. Marshall was at his artistic peak in

by the ( i o d d a r d family) it has not |)re\iously

uiorks of Ben Marshall

the years 1798 to 1818, a n d the jjainiings

been on the market.

\ ibrant b r u s h w o r k a n d lively colouration, its

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Landscape Paintings rJit

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Solomon Delane circa 1727-1812

A view of Lake Albano Oil on canvas Contained in exceptional car\'ed and giltwood frame Unframed: IS'A x 23% in / 46.4 x 60.4 cm Framed: 24 x 29 in / 61 x 73.8 cm PROVEN.XNCE Acquired by the Re\ John Disney (17561816) of The Hyde, Ingatestone, Essex, and thence by descent until circa 1950 when acquired at a sale of the contents of that house.

Solomon Delane is the least-known, but arguably one of the best Irish landscape painters of the eighteenth century. Trained at the Dublin Society School, where he won the Premium in 1750, Delane was later in London where he was elected member of the Society of Artists in 1763. Soon after, Delane found agreeable employment in Italy for over twent)' years. He was part of the emigre Irish community of artists which flourished in Rome during the second half of the eighteenth century, and which included such interesting figures as Christopher Hewetson and J o h n Crawley, the sculptors, and the painters Robert Crone, James Barry, Mathew William Peters, Thomas Hickcy and James Forrester.

Much of his work (which was highly

40

rated at the time) must remain in Italy, and only very few of his paintings have been identified in collecdons in the British Isles.

These seem to have belonged to patrons who went on the Grand Tour (Disney was there in 1796), but the paintings may have been acquired in England or Dublin.

What emerges from examination of those paintings which have been identified is that Delane was an artist of exceptional talent. His paintings are suflused with a calm quiet and intensely poetic light; his palette is cool and restrained and his technique smooth and refined. His achievements, albeit based on a small sample, would place him in the first rank of painters of the Northern Romantic school.

T h e present painting, which has recently been identified as his work, has a beautiful elegiac quality which surpasses mere topography. T h e attribution has been confirmed by both The Knight of Glin and by Professor Anne Cruickshank.

T h e Lake Albano was part of a typical excursion that took travellers along the Appian Way to the Alban hills and lakes of Albano and Meni. This region, which the Welsh painter Thomas Jones called the 'Magick Land' is found South East of Rome, and was a favourite for tourists, attracted by the spectacular scenery and by its associations with Roman and classical poetry.

41

Hendrick Willem Schweickhardt 1746-1797

Haymaking: a harvest scene with country folk resting in the foreground Signed lower right Oil on canvas Contained in a giltvvood frame Unframed: 28 x 36 in / 71 x 91.5 cm Framed: 36 x 44 in / 88.5 x 113 cm PROVK.\A.\Ci: Fieetwood-Hesketh family, Lancashire Exhibited: Royal Academy, 1792, no. 168 Hendrick Scweickhardt was born at H a m m , Westplialia, in 1 746. H e was a pupil of Girolamo Lapis at the Hague where he worked from 1775. He was appointed Director of the Hague Academy in the early 1 780's, but in 1786 moved permanently to London where he was a regular Royal Academy exhibitor. H e died in London in 1797.

42

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Jan Verdussen 1700-1763

Two views of Richmond on Thames from

This curious, c h a r m i n g and rare pair o f

dates of any visit. Colonel (irant, howe\er,

the Hill, with elegant company

panels are clearly signed J

records seven paintings of English scenes by

Verdussen which

has been carefully scratched by an

the artist, including the present examples. All

eighteenth century iiand on the reverse o f

but one o f these are topograpiiical

A pair o f oil jjaintings on cojDper

the copper supports. Colonel G r a n t

landscapes: four of Windsor (three in the

Signed in sgrafito on the reverse o f the

suggests that the artist is J a n Petersz

Fairlunen collection and the other in the

eo])per panels

Verdussen w h o is known as a painter o f

Royal Collection, H a m i l t o n Court), the

In e a n e d and giltwood frames

battle .scenes, in a style which c\okes

present jjair o f \ iews o f R i c h m o n d and a

L'nframed: 9 x 1 3 in / 22.9 x 33 cm

\\'ou\erman. Born in Antwerp in 1700, he

'good sized hav-iield" whose j^resent

Framed: 13'A x 17'/4 in / 34.3 x 43.8 cm

was acti\ e in Marseilles where he worked

whereabouts is unknown.

promenading in the foreground

from about 1 744. H e also travelled widely 1,1 I K R . v u r k tlol M H G r a m , The Early English

il

iMndscape

T h e technique o f these paintings is highly

in Italy where he enjoyed an exalted

unusual for England at the suggested date of

patronage. H e painted the battles of Parma

the 1 730's and is reminiscent o f the work o f

Painters (Vol 2 page 90).

and Guastalla for K i n g Amadeus III o f

the itinerant Robert (iriOier, who likewise

Dictionary of Britvih iMndscape Painters,

Sardinia. \o details sur\ i\c o f his i)re.sence

executed a small number o f topographical

page 206.

in England, and nothing is known about the

views in the southern counties.

46

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47

Richard Bankes Harraden 1778-1862

A view of Maples Signed with initials lower right Oil on canvas Unframecl: 18 x 35 in / 46 x 89 cm Framed: 25 x 42 in / 63.5 x 106.8 cm Richard Bankes Harraden was a well known illustrator and engraver born in Cambridge towards the end of the eighteenth century. He had a flair for drawing and his father, Richard Harraden (1756-1838) whose aquatints of Four Views of Paris after Girlin and drawings of architectural motifs were exhibited at the

48

Royal Academy in 1 799, no doubt inspired him to develop his talent as a draughtsman.

At the beginning of his career Richard Bankes H a r r a d e n focused his interest on the architectural beauty of the colleges and quadrangles of Cambridge, his home town.

However, unlike his father, he had the opportunity to partake of the famous G r a n d Tour of Europe, a journey that was so popular with the literati and artists of this period. During the eighteenth century, Naples, the capital of the kingdom of the two Sicilies, was one of Europe's great cultural metropolises. Its location, verdancy and mild climate attracted many travellers

and the city was widely described as the garden of Europe. According to Lord Findlatcr, the situation and the climate were 'most charming', and the sight of Mount Vesuvius in the distance was no doubt an unprecedented ex]jericnce. O n his travels throughout Italy, Harraden painted several views of various landscapes and seascapes and the present work is a detailed representation of the famous view of Naples, with Clastel Sant'Elmo on the left, merchant shi|)s and fishing boats coming into harbour and Mount Vesuvius in the distance, painted circa 1810.

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J a n Griffier the Elder 1645-1718

View of Rochester Oil on canvas Unframcd: 27 x 49 in / 68.5 x 124.5 cm Framed: 36 x 57 in / 91.4 x 144.8 cm J a n Griffier was a merchant, born in Amsterdam, whose amateur interest in painting developed into a professional one.

His career was split between Holland and England, where he first arrived just after 1666. He took lessons from the landscape painter J a n Looten, another English-based Dutchman, whose tonality he imitates throughout his careen He travelled widely (Vertue tells us that he kept his own yacht, which on one occasion was wrecked on a journey to Holland, thereby causing the loss of much of his stock of drawings) and seems to have worked in a n u m b e r of English locations.

In about 1695 (and possibly earlier) Griffier was once more in Holland, where he remained for a dccade or so. He returned to London in 1705, where he became part of the busding Netherlandish emigre art scene, and his style changed to what might best be described as a proto-English landscape technique, a precursor of the pure English style of such painters as William Tomkins and T h o m a s Smith.

T h e last decade of his life was devoted to topographical landscape painting along the Thames Valley, including Greenwich, Windsor, Oxford, and Gloucestershire. H e also made occasional forays into types of painting such as exotic bird pieces in the manner of his fellow emigre painter Pieter Gasteels.

52

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Gaston de LaTouche 1854-1913

Two Figures in a Park

m e m b e r of the society of Beaux Arts. In

Signed a n d insci'ibcd

a n d was gi\'en a n d c a r r i e d out several official

1900 he received the 'Legion d ' H o n n e u r ' Monsieur Feuillard

lower left

c o m m i s s i o n s of large scale decoratixe

Oil on canvas

schemes. In 1917 a n edition of p o e m s by d e

Unf'ramed: 2 3 x 23'/. in / 5 8 x 58.5 c m

R e g n i e r was ])ublished with his work.

F r a m e d : 31 x SO'/j in / 78.8 x 77.5 c m

This c h a r m i n g |)ainting is most likely to re])resent the Park of St CHotid, outside

( i a s l o n d e La Touche wa.s a painter,

Paris. La l o u c h e p a i n t e d a small a m o u n t of

]3rintmaker a n d sciil|)tor. H e was b o r n in St

works in plein air in St C l o u d , often including

CHoud in 1854 a n d died in Paris in 1913.

figures in the c()m|X)sition, s o m e t i m e s in

D e t e r m i n e d f r o m cliildliood to be an artist,

fancy dress. His work is greatly influenced by

his ]5assion was e n c o i i r a g e d a n d s i q j p o r t e d

the imjjressionists a n d the light filtering

by his p a r e n t s . D u r i n g his c a r e e r as a sell'

t h r o u g h the leax es c r e a t i n g a d a p p l e d efl'ect

t a u g h t artist, La l o u c h e was a leading

rellects this.

55

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Tobias Stranover 1684-1724

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Exotic birds in a landscape, depicting a Chinese peacock, a white peacock, a male andfemale mallard, a cardinal and a pair of turtle doves.

Signed and dated 1721 mid-right Oil on canvas In a mid-eighteenth century frame Unframed: 43 x 63 in / 109.2 x 160 cm Framed: 50% x 69% in / 127.7 x 1 75.3 cm Tobias Stranover was born in Sibiu, in central Romania situated at the Northern foothills of the Transyh anian Aljjs. He was the son-in-law of Bogdani, also a wellknown painter of birds and fruits. T h e two men used similar fruits and and bird species v\ hich suggests close collaboration between the artists, perhaps e\en a shared studio.

Stranover travelled to H a m b u r g and Dresden and finally setded in England, where he married Elizabeth Bogdani.

These two Eastern European artists also brought a lightness to their work that is lacking in Northern European paintings of the Dutch and G e r m a n schools. The striking blue and gold plumage of the peacock contrast effectixely with the purity of the v\ hite peacock. This is a particularly lively composition and the viewer is given the impression of the noisy interaction between the birds. T h e skill of the animal ]3ainting combined with the strong colours and humour of the composition shows Stranover's delight in the baroque depiction of 'wonders from nature.'

56

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Marine Paintings

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John Cleveley Sr circa 1712-1777

An East Indiaman

in three

positions

Sis^iccl and dated /. Cleveley Pinx. 1757 lowci' left Oil on canvas Unframed: 62 x 42 in / 157.5 x 106.8 cm Framed: 53','.. x 73 in / 135.9 x 185.4 cm riii.s jjainting i.s a spectacular and detailed portrayal of an East Indiaman iinder sail, as seen from how, beam and stern. .Merchant .ships of the middle years of the eighteenlh century can be dislinguished from the King's (or (Queen's) na\al ships in several resi^ects.

They llcw short red ma.sthead vanes, rather

than long pennants at the main mast; they had a long poor o\'er the stern cabins which carried the passenger accommodation; the hull was deep, to maximise the cajjacity for cargo; and the cannon were ranged in a single tier. (At a later date more gun-]iorts were added, often false, to gi\ e the impression of a w arship.) The merchantman's red ensign is seen here without the diagonal cross of Si Patrick which was to be added later in 1801.

life. His considerable skills as a painter must ha\e been acc|uired from painting the trophies of arms, classical figures, chariots etc which adorned most ships from head to stern at the le\el of the u|)per-deck gunwales and aboxe.

From the late 174()'s he painted a .series of shi]5 launches at Deptford which were of high ciuality and w r y closely observed. He was also a painter of ship portraits, including a number of F.ast Indiamen, and other maritime scenes.

Born at Southwark on the southern side of the Ri\er Thames, J o h n (lleveley was ajjprenticed to a joiner, Thomas Miller, in 1726. and he later worked in (he Royal Dockyard at De[5tford where he stayed until the end of his

A subject similar to the present ])ainting.

The East Itidiaman Princess Rural in tivn positions. .signed and dated 1 770, is illustrated in the .\ational Maritime Museum. (Greenwich. (Mcise (Catalogue of Oil Paintings. 1988, [lage 125.

63

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Nicholas Pocock 1740-1821

The battle of Frigate Bay 26th January

Nichola.s Pocock was a Bristol p a i n t e r w h o

West Indies. His r e p u t a t i o n was assured by

1782

was b o r n o n M a y 2 n d 1 740, the son of a

the o u t s t a n d i n g quality of his drawing, a n d

sailer to w h o m he was a p p r e n t i c e d at the

his intimate knowledge of the sea a n d ships.

Oil on c a m a s

age of seventeen for seven years. In the

H e c o n t i n u e d to sail in naval ships, visiting

In a fine c a n ed a n d gilded f r a m e

e n s u i n g years, he m a d e n u m e r o u s voyages to

Iceland to paint t o p o g r a p h i c a l land.scapes

U n f r a m e d : 42.5 x 73 in / 108 x 185.4 cm

C h a r l e s t o n , C a r o l i n a , a n d the West Indies;

for L o r d Stanley (1791) a n d he was on

he was still sailing there as late as 1 776 at

b o a r d the frigate Pegasus d u r i n g the Battle ol"

the start of the A m e r i c a n W a r of

the Glorious First of J u n e (1794). H e

F r a m e d : 49 x 80 in / 124.5 x 203.2 cm

PR{)\I:\.\.\C;E

Italian private collection

I n d e p e n d e n c e . His interest in [jainting as a

emerges as o n e of tiie great figures of

career thus c a m e late. At the age of forty he

eighteenth c e n t u r y m a r i n e ]5ainting, a n d

m a r r i e d , a n d was e n c o u r a g e d to p u r s u e his

o n e who, because of his own first h a n d

a m a t e u r talents as a watercolourist a n d

experience at sea, particularly e n d e a r e d

painter. In 1782 he s u b m i t t e d iiis first

himself to professional s e a m e n . H e died at

Royal A c a d e m y 1 782: Representation of the aetion

p a i n t i n g to the Royal A c a d e m y ; within two

C o o k h a m in 1821.

between the British and the French Fleets on 26th

years he was commissioned by A d m i r a l

EXHIM

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January 1782, off Basse Terre, St. Christopher's

H o o d to |)roduce a .series of very large

(Eitiier this or the version on loan to tiie

canvases depicting H o o d ' s battles in the

National Maritime Museum)

65

John Askew fl. 1786-1805

A Whaling Scene in the Arctic Signed and dated 1786 mid-right on rowing boat In a Georgian carved gUtvvood frame Unframed: 26 x 44 in / 65 x 110.5 cm Framed: 32V4 x 50% in / 83.2 x 128 cm This is the earliest known signed and dated work by the enigmatic John Askew, whose output is known only by a small number of signed and dated paintings spanning the years 1786-1805, the 'Golden Age' of British marine painting. The name of the ship is Sarah, and it was built at North Shields in 1782. The boat was active between 1784 and 1792 and again in 1798 to 1807. While Askew was working on Tyneside, he portrayed a few other known ships that were built there, for example, the portrait of The Otterburn o f f Tynemouth, built in 1783 for John Stanton at Sunderland, and the signed but undated [circa 1785) Star of India o f f Tynemouth. illustrated in The Pierhead Painters (R Finch, 1983, plate 16).

One other whaling scene by the artist is known, a painting which shares many similarities with the present painting. This is the Whaler and other vessels in a light breeze in the National Maritime Museum (catalogue BHC1064) which is signed and dated 1788, two years later than the present painting and which is identical in size. The whaling industry in the eighteenth century was concentrated on the ports of the North East coast of Britain, which further enhances the likelihood that Askew was domiciled there at least in the 1780's. The wearing of the white ensign appears in other whaling pictures and may be a signal that the whalers arc working.

66

67

Peter Monamy 1681-1740

Ij)rd Townshend's Yacht in Sail Oil on canvas In original carvccl and gilded frame Unframed: 28 x 36 in / 71 x 91.5cm Peter M o n a m y has been described as a Jersey born painter by ever)- biographer since George Vertue in the mid-eighteenth century. Recent researcli by a descendant, Charles Harrison-Wallace, has sho\vn conclusively that this is in error. Peter Monamy was born in T h e Minories in the City of London, and was baptised in the church of St. Botolph's-without-Aldgate on 12th J a n u a r y 1681, the fourth son of Pierre Monamy and his wife Dorothy, nee Gilbert.

T h e M o n a m y family was indeed from the Channel Islands, where they are first noticed as early as 1540 as successful merchants.

By the late se\cnteenth century, the family had become rather less distinguished, and the artist's father spent some months in prison for infringements of the Customs regulations with regard to importing and exporting to the Channel Islands. Where Peter Monamy's interest in art was fostered is entirely unknown, but in 1696 he was indentured as apprentice to William Clarke of the Company of Paintcr-Stainers for seven years. Clarke was Master of his Livery in 1687, and had a good trade in decorative painting, rather than easel painting, in the City.

In 1704, now a Freeman of his (iuild, Monamy married his first wife, who died

(i8

shortly after; in 1706 he married his second wife H a n n a h Christopher. This was the year before the death of Willem van der Velde the younger, the greatest Dutch marine painter of his age, who had lived and worked in London. His death left a considerable void in London for marine painting, which was only slightly filled by the ongoing work of his son Cornelius \ a n der Velde who conUnued his father's calling. It .seems that Monamy's beginnings as a marine painter may be traced to CUjrnelius \ an der Velde's studio, and, indeed, Vertue refers to him as painting 'imitations of Van der Velde and other famous Dutch masters'.

By the eady 1720's, though, M o n a m y was establishing a good reputation as the leading London marine painter, and the first nativeborn marine painter of this quality.

Patronage came from numerous sources, not least from such Channel Islands naval families as the Durrels and the Saumarez's.

In 1726 he was elected a Liver\'man of the C o m p a n y of Painter-Stainers, to whom he presented the ver\ large painting of T/ie Royal Sovereign at anchor, a picture which still remains in their collection.

From the 1730's until his death, Monamy was at the centre of London artistic life. He was a friend and companion of Hogarth, and collaborated with the celebrated younger artist. He painted some of the decoration at the glamorous new Vauxhall Gardens and was patronised by many of the leading families of the day He was never particularly prosperous, howe\er, and seems to have

preferred to paint decorati\'e pictures for the commercial galleries and dealers.

Charles, 2nd Viscount Townshend (1674-1 738), immortalised as 'Turnip Townshend', of Rainham in Norfolk, was a statesman and agriculturalist, who was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge. He was a central figure in the negotiations with the continental powers which brought to a conclusion the wars in which his colleague the Duke of Marlborough had played such a central role in Qiieen Anne's day. He tra\elled frequently to the continent as a statesman, and was assiduous in playing court to King (ieorge I during his long stays away from England. His frequent travels seem to have brought about his interest in ships, and he was opposed to the bill that was proposed to Parliament in 1721-22 which would have forbidden English shipbuilders from making ships for the foreign market.

His interest in shipping and commerce were extraordinary for an aristocrat of his age. H e seems to have had a broad sweep of interests and learning, and after his retirement he threw himself into agricultural improvements in his nati\'e Norfolk. His promotion of the turnip (which earned his famous sobriquet) was important in leading to the improx ements of Bakewell and CJurwen, and he was the first to widely promote the marling of land to improve its quality and yield, and to have noted the enriching qualities of clover as a crop.

69

Thomas Whitcombe circa 1752-1824

An Indiaman in Two Positions Signed and dated 181! lower right Oil on can\ as In a car\'cd frame Unframed: 44 x 67 in / 11 1.8 x 1 70.1 cm Framed: 52% x 74'/4 in / 1 32.8 x 188.5 cm Thomas Whitcombe was the leading painter of the French Revolutionary wars and painted over one hundred and fifty actions of the English fleet including fifty plates for The Naval Achievements of Cheat Britain, a splendid volume issued after the 70

cessation of hostilities. The cjuartet of marine painters to whom we owe so much for the visual documentation of this dramatic period of historx' (Pocock, Luny, Dodd and Whitcombe) between them produced some excejitioiial work of the highest standard, a great deal of which is to be found in the National Maritime Museutn, Greenwich, and in naval collections around the world.

The present painting is compositionally typical of the artist, although it is conceived on a much grander scale than is usual for him. It mav be considered one of

his most substantial commissions.

This type of ship fast, armed, hugely seaworthy and capable of sailing closer to the wind than many of its contemjjoraries was the backbone of British trade with the Indian subcontinent which so enriched PLngland in the eighteenth century It is depicted oO" the coast of the Island of Ascension in the South Atlantic, then, as now, an important naval staging post and the site of a considerable British garrison.

It was one of the few safe ports of call for fresh water and su])plies on the long and dangerous journey to India.

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Angelica Kauffman, RJ\ 1740-1807

The tender Eleanora sucking the venom

socially a n d was soon a n immense success.

In 1290 she died of a fever at H a r b y i!i

out of the wound which Edward I, her

She appealed equally to the Royal family as

Nottinghamshire. H e r body was e m b a l m e d

Royal Consort, received with a poisoned

she did to her fellow artists, architects such

for the j o u r n e y back to L o n d o n for burial at

as Robert A d a m a n d 'Athenian' Stuart, a n d

Westminster Abbey. T h e j o u r n e y of the

printmakers like Bartolozzi.

funeral procession is marked by the f a m o u s

daggerfrom an assassin in Palestine (Rapiii's Hisforv, Vol iii, page 129)

She was an industrious worker, a n d her paintings, largely of classical a n d

series of crosses which were erected at the places where they stopped: Lincoln,

Oil on canvas

my thological scenes, were frequently

G r a n t h a m , W o b u r n , Dunstable, Waltham

In a Georgian carved f r a m e

exhibited at the Free Society a n d the Royal

Cross a n d C h a r i n g O o s s . The latter two take

U n f r a m e d : 27 x 35'A in / 6 8 . 5 x 90.2 cm

Academy. She also painted m a n y portraits.

their n a m e s from these crosses erected in her

Framed: 34 x 42 in / 86.3 x 106.7 cm

She married the decorative painter Antonio

pious memory.

Zucchi (1726-1795) in 1781, a n d retired, KXGR.WKD

Angelica K a u f l m a n exhibited a painting

possessed of a not inconsiderable fortune, to

of this title in the Royal Academy of 1776

Subject engraved (in re\erse sense) a n d

Rome. From there she continued to submit

where it was one of fi\ e b) her accepted that

published by Ryland, 1st M a r c h 1780

paintings to the Academy. She died in R o m e

year It was her first exhibited painting of

in 1807.

British History, a n d marks a turning point

PROVENANCE

Fhis painting represents E d w a r d I, K i n g

away from the purely classical subjects she

Attributed to the painting noted in

of England, a n d his wife, Q u e e n Eleanor,

had shown since 1 769. It seems to have been

KaufTman's m e m o r a n d u m of her own

sucking venom out of a w o u n d from a

a critical success. This prime version is in the

paintings: Venice, December 1781. For HIH

poisoned knife inflicted by a n assassin in

mirror image to the present painting,

Grand Duke of Russia, a picture of about 3

Palestine. E d w a r d I (1239-1307) was a

implying that the ]Dresent painting was the

English feel, representing a subject in English

ruthless but effective ruler. Q u e e n Eleanor

one exhibited by the engraver a n d publisher

History, Eleanor on the point of death from the

(who died in 1290) was the d a u g h t e r of

William Wynn Ryland (1733-1783) at an

poison she had sucked in the wound that Edward 1st

Ferdinand III of Castile. Their marriage,

exhibition four years later in M a y 1780 at his

had receivedfrom a traitor while at the war in

though politically important, seems to have

London premises.

Palestine

been unusually affectionate, a n d she

O f the one h u n d r e d and forty-six exhibits

a c c o m p a n i e d him on the C r u s a d e to the

in Ryland's exhibition, eighteen were

I.n ERATURE

Holy L a n d in 1270. Here, E d w a r d was

paintings by K a u f f m a n , all of which were

M a n n e r s a n d Williamson, Angelica Kauffman,

attacked by a n intended assassin, who

engraxed by Ryland. It seems likely that

ftl, her life and works (1924), page 141.

stabbed him in the a r m . His doctors

tnany of the paintings still belonged to the

proposed to cut away the flesh, which was

artist, while others were likely to be reduced

.'Vngclica K a u f f m a n was b o r n at G h u r in

poisoned, a n d tried to order the Q u e e n f r o m

versions of compositions prepared especially

Switzerland, a n d was the pupil of her father,

his presence, lest her 'constant wailing a n d

for the engraver to work from. In 1781, she

the painter J o s e p h J o h a n n K a u f f m a n . Apart

unrestrained g r i e f should increase his

a n d her husband returned to Venice, where

from Ix'ing a j^rodigious talent as a painter,

danger. According to the report of the

in D e c e m b e r she tnade a note in her work-

she exhibited an extraordinary talent for

D o m i n i c a n Friar Ptolomaeus Lucensis

book of painting a picture of the same

languages a n d music. H e r artistic education

(d.l327). Q u e e n Eleanor, saved his life by

subject for the G r a n d Duke of Russia. This

sucking the ])oison from his a r m . T h e story,

painting she refers to as being 'about 3

was furthered early in the 1 760's by her visits to \'arious towns in Italy, such as Florence a n d Rome.

L'i)on her arrix al in L o n d o n , where she remained (i-om 1766 to 1781, she was already a \ e r \ ' competent artist, a n d m a d e a dramatic impact both aesthetically and

76

of highly doubtful veracity, was perhajjs

English feet' in size

disseminated to mark the recoxery of the

just '/, iiieh less than '3 English feet'

K i n g from his w o u n d , a n d to encourage

the precision of the drawing, the confidence

sui)|M)rt in England for a foreign Q u e e n . She

of the execution a n d the fact that it is mirror

the present |)ainting is and

was crowned with her h u s b a n d on their

image to the print, all suggest that this m a \

return to England in 1274.

well be one a n d the same painting.

77

Both artist a n d sitters were the daughters of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, and his wife Elizabeth, Q u e e n of Bohemia, the so-called 'Winter Q u e e n ' who was also the daughter of King J a m e s I of Great Britain. T h e story of the loss of her kingdom is one of the most romantic tales of the seventeenth centuryHaving acceded to the throne in 1620, the K i n g and Q u e e n of Bohemia reigned for only one winter. T h e i r promotion of Calvinism as the state religion incited the neighbouring Catholic countries to invade. T h e armies of Emperor Ferdinand II and M a x i m i l l i a n of Bavaria quickly overcame the small Bohemian a r m y a n d the King and Q u e e n sought refuge with the Elector of Brandenburg. They spent the rest of their life in exile. A famous poem has been written by Sir Henry Wotton about the Winter Q u e e n , entitled 'You m e a n e r beauties of the night'. T h i s story was also c o m m e m o r a t e d in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 1963, endtled The Winter Queen in which a self-portrait by Princess Louisa Hollandina was exhibited.

Princess Louisa Hollandina of the Palatinate 1622-1709

Half-length portraits of the sisters of the artist: Princess Hennetta and Princess Elizabeth.

Oil on canvas, a pair f n l i a m e d : 28 x 23 in / 71 x 58.5 cm Framed: 33'/. x 29' • in / 85 x 75 cm The identities ha\e been confirmed by the National Portrait ( i a l l e r v

78

Princess Louisa was a pupil of the Court painter Gerrit von Honthorst (1592-1656) who painted numerous portraits of the Royal families of England, Holland a n d Germany, and who was retained as a teacher to the young princess. She was an adept pupil, a n d her style is a c h a r m i n g a n d slightly nai\-e interpretation of that of her teacher. M a n y of her works were given by the Q u e e n of Bohemia to her great supporter, the Earl of Craven and are consequently in British collections today. Her works are occasionally on an ambitious scale: her double portrait of her sisters Charlotte a n d Elizabeth (Charlotte Larocjue, France; ex-Craven collection) is a signed life-size work which is almost exactly contemporary with the present paintings and preci.sely in their style.

Louisa later in life gave up painting and b e c a m e the R o m a n Catholic Abbess of the Abbey of Monbausson, where she died in February 1 709. Her sister Elizabeth became the Lutheran Abbess Herxorden at Herford, \Vest]5haIia and died in 1680. Henrietta married Sigismutid Ragocky, Prince of IVan.sylvania, and died in 1651.

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1841-1919

dejeune Femme — Jeanne Samary Signed upper right Painted circa 1877-79 Oil on canvas Unframed: I6V4 x 13 in / 41.5 x 33.5 cm Framed: 23 x 20 in / 58.5 x 49.5 cm

PROVENANCE Lefevre Galleries, London, 1924; D r Albert Charpentier, Paris, 1929; By descent

EXHIBITED A Century of French Painting, Alex Reid & Lefevre, Glasgow; May 1927, catalogue no 28; A Hundred Years of French Painting, Van Wisselingh Gallery; Amsterdam, 16th April 5th May 1928, no 53; Lefevre Galleries, Ix)ndon 1954, illustrated, no 15

LITERATURE Francois Daulte, Augusts Rmoir, Catalogue Raisonne de I'oeuvre peint, Figures 1860-1890, 1971, no 310 (illustrated) A hitherto unidentified portrait, almost certainly a finished version of a small, circular portrait of Jeanne Samary executed by Renoir in 1877.

82

This painting comes from the celebrated collection of the psychiatrist, D r Albert C h a r p e n t i e r {seefig 7) (1872-1953).

Married to Elvira Aramayo (1871-1950), the daughter of a wealthy Bolivian tin magnate, Albert C h a r p e n t i e r assembled a magnificent collection of Impressionist paintings between the First and Second World Wars. H e was an amateur painter himself, and in 1936 wrote a book entitled Sur Quelques Peintres (Renoir, Monet, Boucher). In 1937 and 1951 he donated the ten most important works from his collection to the Louvre, a m o n g them Renoir's IM Seine a Argentueil (now in the Musee d'(3rsay). Degas' Danseuses en bleu, Manet's Anguille et rouges, and another Renoir, a pastel.

This painting, which had previously been dated to 1876-1879, was exhibited three times: at the Alex Reid and Lefevre show, 1927, (held at the McLellan Galleries in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow) it was catalogued as 'painted about 1879', while in their 1954 exhibition it is dated to 'circa 1876'. Now that we are able to identify the sitter as J e a n n e Samary, however, the painting can be more accurately dated to 1877-1879.

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Condition Report uncommon for this artist. There are slight abrasions on the sight edges of the paintings caused by the rubbing of the frame. These marks are in the soft area of paint and would indicate that this happened at the time of painting. T h e r e is minor loss of paint in the corners under the frame rebate. T h e r e is very minimal paint loss abo\'e the sitter's left ear and also in the blue dress just to the right of the necklace. (SeeJigs 1, 2). T h e painting is in its original and genuine state and can only be described as being in excellent condition.

What minimal blemishes there are, are confined to small particles of dirt caught in the paint's impasto. [SeeJig 3)

T h e original canvas has been lined on to a medium weight linen canvas. This process was probably undertaken at the turn of the century. T h e condition of the lining is good with no signs of separation between the original and the lining canvas. This has left the canvas in a good and stal)le condition. T h e original ])aint has been effectively consolidated with the current lining and there is no suggestion tiiat the original paint is s u s c ^ t i b l e to lifting or flaking. T h e tacking margins of the can\-as have also been retained. T h e r e are at least two rows of old tack holes suggesting the canvas was stretched before. Renoir used a commercially ]5rimed can\ as of an offwhite coloured ground. This canvas can be seen on the tackiiig margins of all four edges. T h e oil paint extends on to these margins of the canvas which perhaps suggests that the artist painted the image and stretched it once he was happy with the final result. This technic|uc is not

T h e painting has been surface cleaned.

T h e \'arnish was remo\'ed at that time, revealing the brilliance of the Prussian blue of the dress and the delicate flesh tones of the face. Apart from the two areas of paint loss mentioned earlier the painting is in a \'ery good state.

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t iirurr 85

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V ^

Renoir's Models

Jeanne Samary: 'The spark of contemporary art'

Renoir p r e f e r r e d to paint professional

J e a n n e S a m a r y was Renoir's favourite model

models a n d actresses, o n e of his first

f r o m 1877 to 1880, a n d he painted at least

f a \ o u r i t e s being Lise Treliot, w h o t n he met

twelve portraits of her in oil a n d pastel. Most

in 1865. It was Lise w h o modelled for his

famously, slie a p p e a r s in l^e Dgeuner des Canotiers,

Diane chasseresse (National Gallery of / \ r t ,

1880-81 (The Phillips Collection, Washington,

Washington) which was refused by the Salon

D.C., see detail fig 6} which was exhibited at the

of 1867, along with paintings s u b m i t t e d by

Seventh Impressionist Exhibition of 1882.

Bazille, Pissarro a n d Sisley, a n d which was

J e a n n e is the w o m a n in the b a c k g r o u n d on the

the catalyst for the f o r m a t i o n of the First

extreme right of the picture, dressed in black,

Impressionist Exhibition.

c o \ e r i n g her ears with glo\ed h a n d s in order to

In 1875 R e n o i r r e n t e d two attic rooms in

ignore the flirtations of her suitor, Paul Lhote.

M o n t m a r t r e a n d here he p a i n t e d m a n y

T h i s painting also contaiiis a ])ortrait of Aline

portraits of two new models, H e n r i e t t e

C^harigot, wiiom Renoir m a r r i e d in 1890.

H e n r i o t a n d Nini Lopez, a n d studies of C l a u d e M o n e t p a i n t i n g outside. In 1878, he

Born in 1857 into one of France's greatest stage families, J e a n n e joined the C o m e d i e

e n g a g e d a n o t h e r n e w model, M a r g u e r i t e

Frangaise v\hen she was fourteen, a n d in 1875,

' M a r g o t ' L e g r a n d , i)ut u n f o r t u n a t e l y she

at the age of se\'enteen, she won the first prize

died at the b e g i n n i n g of 1879.

for comedy; her debut being in Moliere's Ix Tartujfe in the role of Dorinne. From here, she quickly rose through the ranks of the theatre to b e c o m e a leading actress. U p to her marriage in 1880 to Marie-Joseph L;igarde (which caused a scandal when his wcalth\- father challenged the marriage in court), J e a n n e li\cd with her parents just a few steps away from Renoir's studio. She died of typhoid fever aged thirty-six in 1890, a n d her funeral in Paris was attended by two thousand mourners. O n her death, Jules Claretie wrote '... she was the laugh of Moliere, the spark of c o n t e m p o r a r y art'.

In April 1877 Renoir submitted his Portrait de Jeanne Samary en Buste (fig 5) (Pushkin M u s e u m , Moscow), to the T h i r d Impressionist Exhibition which the Republique Fran(;aise c o m p a r e d fav ourably with the work of Fragonard.

In 1879, desperate for financial success, he sent two [jaintings to the Salon: Portrait de Mile Samary ('Fhe Hermitage, St. Petersburg) a n d Portraits de Mme Charpentier et de ses Enfants, where both were exceptionally well receix cd a n d Pissarro wrote "Renoir has been a great success at the Salon. I believe he is launched.'

l.<'ft {[if^ 7;:J(';itin<' .Sainaiy ('iilltTlions dr l;i (:ntiu'(iic-Fran(,aisc. Paris Top right (fi^ :'}): tWirail dfjmtme

Samary en Hu\U. 'la Ueverie',

IK77, by I'ii-rrc-.Augusli- R< N(iir (I8U-IIII9). I'uslikin .\1USCUTII, •Moscow. Russia/liricis'Tilan An l,il)rary •SiiTiird anti (ialccl top leil Remir 77

87

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Renoir is credited as o n e of t h e f o u n d e r s of

Refuses' like that of 1863 at which M a n e t

Italy a n d N o r t h Africa, r e t u r n i n g via the

Impressionism. B o r n in Limoges in 1841, he

h a d exhibited his f a m o u s Dgeuner sur I'herbe

south of Fraiice w h e r e he spent time \ \ o r k i n g

m o \ e d to Paris with his family at t h e age of

(Musee d ' O r s a y ) . T h e y receiv ed n o response.

alongside Paul C e z a n n e . In 1883 he visited

Following s u b s e q u e n t refusals by the

G u e r n s e y a n d Jersey, a n d the M e d i t e r r a n e a n

a p p r e n t i c e to Lexy Freres, porcelain

Salon in 1872 a n d 1873, R e n o i r joined a

coast b e t w e e n Marseille a n d G e n o a in the

painters, w h e r e he b e g a n by p a i n t i n g

g r o u p of fellow artists h e a d e d by M o n e t in

c o m p a n y of M o n e t . H e c o n t i n u e d to exhibit

flowers. His skill a n d speed impressed his

the First Impressionist Exhibition in the

regularly at the Salon d u r i n g these three

employers a n d he was soon given m o r e

spring of 1874. H e also showed at the

years. T o w a r d s the e n d of the 1880's Renoir

dilTicult work, such as p a i n t i n g portraits of

S e c o n d a n d T h i r d Impressionist Exhibitions

m o v e d aroLind France, a n d visited the great

M a r i e - A n t o i n e t t e on teapots. H e persisted in

but refused to be i n x o h e d in the Fourth a n d

m u s e u m s in L o n d o n , M a d r i d , D r e s d e n a n d

his a m b i t i o n to b e c o m e a painter, however,

Fifth of 1879 a n d 1880 because he h a d

.Amsterdam, exhibiting at the Salon for the

a n d s]5ent his spare time visiting the Louvre

r e t u r n e d to the olficial Salon in 1878 a n d

last time in 1890, the year of his m a r r i a g e to

w h e r e he a d m i r e d a n d m a d e coj^ics of the

feared alienating his Salon-orientated

Aline C h a r i g o t .

works of Ruljcns, F r a g o n a r d a n d Boucher.

|)atrons. H e was u n a b l e to prev ent Paul

Eventually, in 1862, he was a d m i t t e d to the

D u r a n d - R u e l f r o m including his works in the

d ' H o n n e u r in 1900, a n d was by this time a

three. His first j o b , at thirteen, was as an

R e n o i r was a w a r d e d the Legion

Ecole des Beaux-Arts. From h e r e he m a d e

1882 Impressionist exhibition, however, a n d

well established artist with a growing

c o n t a c t with C h a r l e s Gleyre, a Swiss painter,

was h a p p y to co-operate w h e n D u r a n d - R u e l

international r e p u t a t i o n , thanks largely to

a n d b e g a n to visit his studio, w h e r e he m e t

p u t o n Renoir's first individual retrospective

D u r a n d - R u e l ' s exertions o n his b e h a l f His

M o n e t , Bazille {seeJig 8) a n d Sisley.

exhibition in his gallery in Paris in 1883.

health was declining, however, a n d f r o m 1912 he was confined to a wheelchair by

Two years later, in 1864, Renoir h a d his

R e n o i r first m e t D u r a n d - R u e l in J a n u a r y

first success at the Salon w h e n his p a i n t i n g

1872, to w h o m he was i n t r o d u c e d by M o n e t

r h e u m a t i s m . His illness led h i m to

IM Esmeralda (untraced, a n d claimed by the

a n d Pissarro. In M a r c h D u r a n d - R u e l b o u g h t

p r o l o n g e d visits to the south of France,

artist to have b e e n destroyed) was a c c e p t e d .

Renoir's Pont des Arts (Norton S i m o n

w h e r e he died in D e c e m b e r 1919, but he r e m a i n e d active in his work, trying his h a n d

In 1867, h o w e \ e r , the Salon jur\- refused his

Collection, Los .Angeles) for 2 0 0 francs, a n d

entry, Diane chasseresse. Renoir, Pissarro,

two m o n t h s later a still life, Pivoines et

at sculpture a n d p a i n t i n g a variety of

M o n e t a n d Bazille sent a petition to the

Coquelicots for 4 0 0 francs.

figurative

Salon a n d called for a n o t h e r 'Salon des

In 1881 a n d 1882 Renoir travelled to

works such as the acclaimed

Baigneuses (1918-1919) (Musee d'Orsay).

R i ^ l u {delaUjifi

6 ) : />" Dejeuner

de.s (.moliers,

IKMO-KI l i y I ' i c r n - -

A i i i f u s i c K r n o i r ( 1 M 4 I - 1 ! > 1 . \ ( ( j u i n ' ( l liy ilu- l'liilli[)s (lolU'clioii. W a s h i n ^ i o n

88

DC

I

Renoir and Portraiture 'Rmoir's women are enchantresses.'

Portraiture was central to Renoir's aesthetic.

circumstances, dressed in the clothes they

O f all the Impressionists, he was p e r h a p s the

wore regularly a n d thi» faithfulness to

o n e w h o most excelled at this g e n r e a n d

m o d e r n life is o n e of his most significant

infused the traditional process of r e c o r d i n g

characteristics. In addition his ability to

the likeness of a sitter with new force a n d

p o r t r a y female c h a r m a n d b e a u t y was

vibrancy. H e strove to c a p t u r e the essence of

exceptional. In 1884 O c t a v e M i r b e a u wrote

his sitters while still investing his works with

of Renoir:

the spontaneity a n d c h a r m of his landscapes

alternately gracious a n d m o \ ing, k n o w i n g

portraits that he exhibited at the T h i r d

a n d simple, a n d always elegant, with an

Impressionist Exhibition e n c o u r a g e d s o m e

exquisite visual sensibility, a t o u c h as light as

of the most favourable critical responses to

a kiss, a vision as p e n e t r a t i n g as that of

his work that he h a d yet provoked. Colin

S t e n d h a l . N o t only does he give a marvellous

Bailey considered that the portraits that

sense of the physique, the delicate relief a n d

Renoir exhibited 'inspired the-inost

dazzling tones of y o u n g comjjlexions, he also

perceptive assessment yet m a d e of his

gives a sense of the f o r m of the soul, all

talents'.

w o m a n ' s i n w a r d musicality a n d bewitching mystery. C o n t r a r y to the m a j o r i t y of m o d e r n

dramatically e n h a n c e d his r e p u t a t i o n , a n d

painters, his figures are not frozen by layers

he was given increasingly i m p o r t a n t portrait

of paint; a n i m a t e d a n d vivacious, they sing

commissions, with his p a t r o n s often

out the whole r a n g e of bright tones, all the

requesting that Renoir p a i n t portraits of

melodies of colour, all the vibrations of light

several m e m b e r s of their families.

E d m o n d Renoir, his brother, whose wife he p a i n t e d in 1876, described his m e t h o d of p o r t r a i t u r e in a letter to Emile Bergerat thus: ' H e asks his m o d e l to m a i n t a i n h e r

... I d o not u n d e r s t a n d why all w o m e n d o not have their portraits p a i n t e d by this exquisite artist'.

A n o t h e r a d m i r e r of his work, T h e o d o r e D u r e t , sums u p Renoir's almost u n i q u e

c u s t o m a r y m a n n e r , to sit as she usually sits,

abilities of p o r t r a i t u r e a n d his towering place

to dress the way she usually dresses, so that

in this art f o r m :

n o t h i n g smacks of constraint or artificial

' [He] excels at portraits. N o t only does he

p r e p a r a t i o n . T h u s his work has, in addition

catch the external features, but t h r o u g h t h e m

to its artistic value, all the sui generis c h a r m of

he pinpoints the model's c h a r a c t e r a n d inner

a p a i n t i n g faithful to m o d e r n life. W h a t he

self. I d o u b t w h e t h e r any [painter] has ever

has p a i n t e d , we see before us every day; he

i n t e r p r e t e d w o m a n in a m o r e seductive

has r e c o r d e d o u r lives in 'pages' that will

m a n n e r . T h e deft a n d lively touches of

surely r e m a i n a m o n g the most vi\'id a n d

Renoir's b r u s h are c h a r m i n g , subtle a n d

h a r m o n i o u s of o u r period'.

u n r e s t r a i n e d , m a k i n g flesh t r a n s p a r e n t a n d

R e n o i r did indeed strive to create a

Pi('rrc-y\ugusU' Roi

' H e is truly a p a i n t e r of w o m e n ,

a n d u r b a n scenes. In 1877, the seven

In 1878 Renoir's success as a portraitist

There isn't a single thing that interests man as much as man.

tinting the cheeks a n d lips with a perfect

natural, relaxed effect in his portraits. H e

living hue. Renoir's w o m e n are

p o r t r a y e d each subject in natural

enchantresses...'

I>'ft (fig 7): Mcmlx'rs of tht' C'harpenticr lamily.

M. Albert C'harpeniicr is the gentleman siatuiiiig two iti from left, with liis wile to his lelt.

Overleaf (fig 8)\ Portrait of R<'iuiir. 1867 by jeati Frederic Ba/.ille (IfM 1-70). Musee d'Orsay. Paris.

Franee/Hridgenian Art !.ibrar\; Roger-Viol let, Paris

91

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Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-1792

Head and shoulders portrait of Marchesa Faola Castiglione-Litta wearing a white dress and pink wrap trimmed with ermine Oil on canvas In a c a n c d and gilded frame Unframed: 30 x 25 in / 76 x 63 cm Framed: 38 x 32'A in / ' 9 6 . 5 x 82.5 cm PROVEXAXCF.

By descent from the sitter until sold in the fourth auction of the pro]5crty of the Chiesa family (of Milan), New York 23rd November 1927 (lot 23); Newhouse Galleries New York, from whom acquired

by Mrs Robert Bishop, and by whom given in 1969 to the Wadsworth Athenaeum; deaccessioned by the latter in 1999 when acquired by Mallett. l.ITERATURE

Sir Ellis W'aterhouse: Reynolds, Chronological Catalogue, page 67.

At the date this portrait was executed, 1776, Reynolds stood supreme at the head of the community of artists in London. He was the President of the Royal Academy, immensely successful commercially, an acknowledged aesthete, theoretician on art, man of letters and a di.stinguished collector of Old Master paintings and drawings. This prosperity allowed Reynolds to tra\ el widely, and he opened his art to a vast catalogue of continental images which were transposed into portraits of British high society. In 1775 he was elected to the Florence Acadcmy, and presented them with a self-portrait for the collection in the UlTizi.

Curiously, Reynolds painted very few of the many Continental visitors to London, despite his pan-Kuropean reputation as a portrait painter. Fhe present painting is one of a very small number of portraits of Italian sitters, and shows the artist in sensitive and informal mood, in sharp contrast to many of the great formal set-pieces he painted at around this period.

95

Sir Peter Lely 1618-1710

Three-quarter length portrait of a lady,

T h e traditional identification of the portrait

masterly. The fact that the painting is signed

traditionally identified as Eleanor ('jYell')

as Nell Gwyn seems inherently improbable by

points to this being a m a j o r commission for

Gwyn, dressed in a decollete yellow and

comparison with the well-known authentic

the artist, a n d studio intervention, so c o m m o n

white dress and blue wrap, resting on a rock with her pet sheep.

portrait by Lely, also with a lamb, in the

in the artist's work, seems to be safely

Xational Portrait Gallery, London. T h a t

precluded.

painting a n d the ])resent one are almost exactl)- contemporaneous, and the

Signed in m o n o g r a m middle right PL. Painted circa 1673 Oil on canvas In a contemi)orary 'Lely Panel' car\'ed giltwood f r a m e U n f r a m e d : 50 x 40 in / 127 x 101.6 r m Framed: 60 x 50 in / 152.3 x 127 cm PROVENANCK B\ descent in the family of the Marc|uises of Crewe, and formerly al Crewe Hall, Cheshire.

9(i

T h e true identity of the sitter remains presently u n d o c u m e n t e d a n d obscure, though

appearance of the two sitters is very different:

it is listed in imentories of C r e w e Hall as

the N P G portrait is rather more coarsely

early as the mid-19th century as 'Nell (Jwyn'.

featured, a n d the body rather heavier in build

A comparison with the best portrait by Lely

than our picture. O u r sitter also appears to be

of the King's other mistress, Louise de

a few years younger than the sitter in the

Kerouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth ( 1 6 7 3 ; J

X P G portrait.

Paul Getty M u s e u m , Chilifornia) shows a

Howe^•er, the present painting shows the technique of the artist

the most important

youthful sitter of similar age a n d strikingly similar looks. A positive identification though

a n d successful in Lngland working for

remains elusive, since the a p p e a r a n c e of so

Charles II, after the demise of Van Dyck - at

m a n y sitters by the artist is similar. This arises,

the very height of his powers in his maturity.

presumably, from an idea of female beauty to

The brushwork is ravishing a n d free, the

which the Restoration court subscribed, a n d

colour intense a n d \'ibrant, a n d the drawing

to which m a n y female sitters aspired.

M'

S:

John Hamilton Mortimer 1741-1779

A Self Portrait of the artist in his study silting in a chair covered in gingha?n with an antique bust and a portfolio Circa 1760 Oil on c a m as

which could hold its own in c o m p a n y with

a n d was subsequently exhibited in the

the latter painter, not least because he

Society of Arts. Hamilton M o r t i m e r also

effectixely draws the \ ievver into intimate

m a d e a large a m o u n t of engra\'ings in the

settings where the figure sits or stands at

style of Salvator Rosa and (iucrcino, many

ease, as can be seen in the present work.

of which are in the British M u s e u m .

Hamilton M o r t i m e r depicts himself as a

The artist was \ e r y good friends

ith

U n f r a m e d : 29 x 2V/i in / 73.8 x ()2.2 cm

sophisticated genrieman who is both an artist

Joseph Wilton who was a foiuider m e m b e r

Framed: 37 x 32V. in / 94 x 82.5 cm

and an intellectual. H e sits in a relaxed ])osc,

of the Royal A c a d e m y a n d for a while a

the informality of which is subtly e n h a n c e d

tcacher at the Duke of R i c h m o n d ' s gallery

J o h n Hamilton M o r t i m e r was an inventive

by the creased chair c o \ e r a n d stylishly

in the Pri\y ( i a r d e n s during the early 1760s.

a n d ambitious artist. Not only were his

c r u m p l e d garments. The confidence of this

1 his gallery had an impressi\e collection of

portraits a n d conversadon pieces beautifully

self portrayal owes a great deal to Reynolds

antique busts a n d it is likely J o s e p h Wilton

executed, he also excelled later in his life in

who raised the status of the artist in British

gave Hamilton M o r t i m e r special acce.ss to

his romantic depiction of historical legends

societ)' by his prolific output of portraits of

paint these busts, one of which ma)- be

a n d biblical events. Ho\ve\er his style a n d

the nobility, thus artists b e c o m i n g accepted

displayed on the artist's desk in the present

technique owes a great deal to his tutors, a

into the fashionable set in the late eighteenth

painting. A self portrait with Joseph Wilton

series of notable painters. His first tutor was

century society

T h o m a s H u d s o n (1701-1779) whose

Hamilton M o r t i m e r was elected Associate

depiction of formal a n d solemn figures h a d

of the Royal Academy in 1778, u n d e r orders

a great influence on Hamilton Mortimer,

and a student from 1 765, in a similar setting to the present painting, belongs to the Royal A c a d e m y a n d has been exhibited several

from King George III, who h a d a high

limes since it was donated in 1889.

whose portraits display a similar air of

regard for his work. From the 1770s onwards

Unfortunately Hamilton M o r t i m e r died

stature a n d dignity. After a few years at the

he did drawings a n d engra\ings of biblical

suddenly at the age of thirty-eight a n d his [jaintings were exhibited posthumously at

St Martin's Lane A c a d e m y he liecame a

a n d nnthological subjects a n d became

pu]5il of Robert Pine [circa 1730-1788) a n d

exceptionally well-known after winning fi\e

the Royal A c a d e m y in 1 779. H e was both a

Sir J o s h u a Reynolds (1 723-1 792). Although

Premiums from the Socicty of Arts between

very skilled portraitist a n d a talented

Hamilton Mortimer's portraits never had the

1 759 a n d 1762 and, in 1764, a historical

rf)niantic artist, whose early death was a

flamboyance of his last master Reynolds, he

painting competition when his painting of St

great loss to the artistic development of both

succeeded in creating a kind of portrait

Paul con\erting the Bi itons won first ]3rize

forms of |)ainting.

99

:

William Hoare of Bath 1707-1792

A Young Girl Cradling a Rabbit

H e exhibited at Suffolk Street f r o m 1761 to 1 7()2 a n d at the Roval . \ c a d e m y b e t w e e n 1770 a n d 1779. H o a r e was a

100

Pastel

r e n o w n e d a n d serious |X)rtrait ])ainier w h o

U n f r a m c d : 26V, x IQ'A in / 6 8 x 4 9 . 5 c m

particularly fa\()ured pastels as a m e d i u m ,

Fraim-cl: 31 'A x 24V, in / 8 0 x 6 3 c m

a dillicult technicjue which he m a s t e r e d

H o a r c was i)()rn in I'-ye, Sullblk, in 1 707

whilst travelling in Italy f r o m 1728 for nine

a n d died in Hath in 1 792. H e n i o \ e d to

years. T h r o u g h o u t his c a r e e r h e p a i n t e d

Bath in 1739, lollowing his r e t u r n f r o m

m a n y w o n d e r f u l portraits, such as this one,

Italy a n d r e m a i n e d Bath's most successful

which c a p t u r e b o t h a likeness of the sitter

a n d fasliionable artist for twenty years, until

as well as a c h a r m that lifts t h e m a b o \ e

T h o m a s G a i n s b o r o u g h ' s arrix al in 1759.

o t h e r c o n t e m ] ) o r a r y artists.

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Watercolours

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William Turner of Oxford 1789-1862

View of Bolton Abbey

Water-C^olours, later b e c o m i n g its youngest

sketched in both familiar a n d r e m o t e areas.

full m e m b e r . Turner worked principally in

I'he mysterious p o w e r of the unculti\ ated

W'atercoloiir

watercolour, occasionally in oils, a n d

landscape b e c a m e a m a j o r t h e m e of his

U n l r a m e d : 9'/2 x 13% in / 24 x 35 in

e x p e r i m e n t e d in lithography a n d ctching.

late work.

Framod: 17'/, x 21 in / 43.9 x 53.3 c m

His output consisted almost entirely of

F u r t h e r works by Turner can be f o u n d

landscapes a n d he travelled t h r o u g h Britain

in the A s h m o l e a n a n d at the Victoria a n d

William r i i r n c r of O x f o r d styled himself

in search of subjects, visiting the \Vye, the

Albert M u s e u m . His studio sale was held at

thus to distin.E^nsh himself f r o m the otiier

Take District, N o r t h Wales a n d Derbyshire

C:hristie's, 9 M a r c h 1863.

great Tiirner of the day, J M W Turner, in

by 1818. His r a n g e was later e x t e n d e d

Bolton A b b e y is o w n e d by the D u k e

1804 he m o \ e d to L o n d o n , vviiere he studied

beyond the conventionally |)icturesque to

a n d Duchess of Dexonshire. It is situated

u n d e r \ a r l e y a n d exiiibited at titf Royal

include detailed p a n o r a m i c views

in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The

A c a d e m y in 1807 at the age of just

r e m a r k a b l e for their c o m b i n a t i o n of

ruins of the Priory, on the b a n k of the

sex enteen. The following year he was elected

b r e a d t h a n d delicacy such as this jjainting.

River W h a r f e , are s u r r o u n d e d by s o m e of

an Associate of the Society of Paijiters in

hi 1838 he visited Scotland, where he

the most beautiful cotmlryside in E n g l a n d .

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John Varley, OW S 1778-1842

View on the Mondego River, Spain

J o h n \ a r i e y was a l a n d s c a p e a n d

F r o m 1 7 9 8 to 1 8 4 3 Varley e x h i b i t e d at

architectural watercolourist. H e published

the F^ritish Institute, R o y a l S o c i e t y o f British Aitists, SulFolk S t r e e t , the R o y a l Academ>-

Pencil a n d w a l o r c o l o i i r

works o n d r a w i n g , pers])ecti\e a n d

S i g n e d a n d d a t e d 1 8 1 3 ; also signed, d a l e d a n d

astrolog\- a n d h a d a c o n s i d e r a b l e

( 1 7 9 8 - 1 8 4 1 ) , a n d chiefly at the O l d

View on l/ie Alondego River. Spain, from a skelch by (.'apt Demaresq

re])utation as a n art t e a c h e r . A m o n g his

W a t e r c o l o u r Society.

pupils w e r e W i l l i a m H e n r y H u n t , Anthony-

L l n f r a m e d : 15'/:. x 2 4 in / 3 9 . 5 x 61 c m

V a n d y k e CV)pley Fielding, W i l l i a m 'I'urner

I-Vanied: 2 3 x 3 2 in / 5 8 . 4 x 8 1 . 3 c m

o f O x f o r d , I ) a \ i d (.'ox, J o h n l.innell a n d

inscribed on the r e w r s e

W i l l i a m M u h e a d y . \'arlc)' h i m s e l f studied I'ROXKXANCK

Coliiaghi

u n d e r J ( ; Barrow, a t e a c h e r oC drawing.

'This idealised, r o m a n t i c l a n d s c a p e is c a p t u r e d by \ a r l e y using .soft t o n e s a n d

K X H i m r K I )

g o l d e n light, a style c o m m o n in m a n y ol"

O l d W ' a t e r c o l o u r Society, 1 8 1 4 , l u i m b e r 2 9 8

his ])ictures.

105

Lilian Stannard 1877-1944

The Garden Path Singed lower left Watercolour Unframed: 1 7V, x 23 in / 45 x 58.5 cm Framed: 21 x 26' : in 53.3 x 67.2 cm Lilian Stannard (1877-1944) was a member of the Bedfordshire family of Stannards, one of the remarkable artistic dynasties of the Victorian period. Lilian's brother, Henry J o h n Sylvester Stannard (1870-1951), was i)cst known for his watercoloiirs of [pretty village scenes. Both Lilian and her sister Theresa, however, became specialists in garden subjects, and held exhibitions of them in London, at Ackermann's, the Mendoza (iailery. Walker's and elsewhere.

Qtieen Mary was an admirer of their work and bought regularly at their exhibitions.

Another admirer of Lilian's work was Lady Ludlow, who commissioned her to paint the gardens at Luton Hoo. Both the Stannards developed a distincti\ely bright, impressionistic style and at their best, they are effective and decorati\ e, and their watercolours are certainly a m o n g the l^rettiest of all Victorian garden pictures.

Many of the gardens painted by the Stannards are not specifically identified, but Lilian did paint one particular series of the gardens of C^ambridge colleges. T h e Stannards also painted a great many cottage gardens, featuring the picturesque old thatched house of their native Bedfordshire and of Hertfordshire.

106

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C'vii.i ^n,* U F j jp

Ernest Arthur Rowe 1863-1922

Montacute House, Somerset

viewpoint, such as this view of the b o r d e r

known a b o u t his c a r e e r t h a n that of any

a l o n g the n o r t h wall of the forecourt at

o t h e r g a r d e n painter. H e b e g a n by p a i n t i n g

.Signed a n d dated 1893 lower right

MoiUacute H o u s e in Somerset, which was

landscapes, but d u r i n g the 1890's he b e c a m e

VVatercolour

|xiinted by Rowe in 1893 a n d by Elgood in

steadily m o r e interested in g a r d e n s a n d his

U n f r a n i c d : 21 x 29 in / 53 x 73.5 c m

1886. Elgood's version show.s the b o r d e r full

finest g a r d e n pictures were p r o d u c e d

F r a m e d : SO'A x 38 in / 77.5 x 96.5 c m

of sunflowers, with two ladies in p e r i o d

between 1890 a n d 1914. His records reveal

dress walking a l o n g the p a t h (this

that he often suffered f r o m b a d w e a t h e r -

K X H i m ri;i)

i n c o r p o r a t i o n of figures into g a r d e n views

indeed at Pcnshurst in,July 1892 he lost o n e

Royal Institute of Painters in W'atercolours,

was a device often used by I'j|gf)od, but ne\'er

of his drawings w h e n it blew into the

1893

by Rowe). Rowe also p a i n t e d a view of

fish|)ond!

M o n t a c u t e H o u s e f r o m the g a r d e n in 1893, I'A Rowe a n d G S Elgood were the greate.st

as well as A View in the East Court, Montacutf

g a r d e n painters of the late Victorian period.

which is u n d a t e d .

T h e y both p a i n t e d m a n y of England's finest gardens, s o m e of t h e m even f r o m the s a m e

M a n y of Rowe's notebooks, diaries a n d letters survive, a n d consequentK' m o r e is

The I'irst World W a r dealt a severe blow to Rowe's career, but it revived again after 1918 a n d he held several exhibitions at the G r a f t o n Ciallery, a n d in 1921 at the Cireatorex Gallerv in Ix^ndon.

109

English School circa 1810

Palazzo Colonna and

V i a della Pilotta, R o m e , P a l a z z o C>olonna

d e p i c t e d t h e s t a t u e of t h e river-god Nile.

Museo Pio-Clementio

w a s built by P o p e M a r t i n V in t h e early

T h e r e a r e t w o stories of w h a t t h e

f i f t e e n t h century. T h e f a m o u s t h r e e halls

s u r r o u n d i n g t h e river-god s t a t u e r e p r e s e n t ,

A p a i r of vvatcrcolours

d a t e f r o m t h e m i d 1600's. T h e artist has

a n d a n cariy t h e o r y s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e r e

U n f r a m e d : 32 x 2 3 in / 8 1 . 3 x 5 8 . 5 c m

skilfully r e c o r d e d this f a m o u s i n t e r i o r in

w e r e s e v e n t e e n little figures a n d t h a t they

F r a m e d : 3 6 x 2 8 in / 9 1 . 5 x 7 1.1 c m

detail a n d d e p i c t s t h e g l e a m i n g m a r b l e

r e p r e s e n t e d the s e v e n t e e n k i n g d o m s of Italy

figures

r o o m s with t h e i r p r o m i n e n t c o l u m n s . T h e

H o w e v e r , Pliny believed that t h e r e w e r e

These two vvatcrcolours w e r e n o d o u b t

c e n t r a l ceiling f r e s c o d e p i c t s M a r c A n t o n i o

sixteen little figures a n d t h a t e a c h o n e

p a i n t e d by a n Hiiglish artist o n the G r a n d

C^olonna's naval victory over the Turks.

r e p r e s e n t e d the sixteen c u b i t s by w h i c h t h e

T h e other watercolour shows the

w a t e r s of t h e Nile rise in t h e r a i n y season.

centur); Each depict a well-known m u s e u m

G a l l e r i a dei Busti of t h e M u s c o Pio-

O r i g i n a l l y river-gods w e r e d e p i c t e d as half

a n d I'alazzo in R o m e of the lime.

C l e m e n t i o w h i c h w a s built in t h e early

a n i m a l a n d half h u m a n , b u t the full h u m a n

Tour of E u r o p e in t h e early n i n e t e e n t h

T l i e statue gallery is a view of t h e i n t e r i o r of P a l a z z o C o l o n n a . S i t u a t e d o n the

10

sixteenth c e n t u r y to h o u s e a n c i e n t statues

f o r m e v e n t u a l l y b e c a m e c o n v e n t i o n a l . This

a n d relics. U n d e r t h e left a r c h w a v is

s t a t u e is n o w in t h e Vatican m u s e u m .

English School circa 1 8 1 0

Palazzo Colonna and Museo Pio-Clementio A pair of watcrcolours Unframcd: 32 x 23 in / 81.3 x 58.5 cm Framed: 36 x 28 in / 91.5 x 71.1 cm The.se iwo walercolours were no doubt painted by an English arti.st on the Cirand Tour of Europe in the eariy nineteenth century. Each depict a well-known museum and Palazzo in Rome of the lime.

The statue gallery is a view of the interior of Palazzo Colonna. Situated on the

:10

Via della Pilotta, Rome, Palazzo Colonna was built by Pope Martin V in the early fifteenth century. T h e famous three halls date from the mid 1600's. T h e artist has skilfully recorded this famous interior in detail and depicts the gleaming marble rooms with their prominent columns. The central ceiling fre.sco depicts Marc Antonio C-olonna's naval victory over the Turks.

T h e other watercolour shows the Galleria dei Busti of the Museo PioClementio which was built in the early sixteenth century to house ancient statues and relics. Under the left archwav is

depicted the statue of the river-god Nile.

There are two stories of what the figures surrounding the ri\er-god statue represent, and an early theory suggested that there were seventeen little figures and that they represented the seventeen kingdoms of Italy.

However. Pliny believed that there were sixteen little figures and that each one represented the sixteen cubits by which the waters of the Nile rise in the rainy season.

Originally river-gods were depicted as half animal and half human, but the full human form eventually became conventional. 'I'his statue is now in the Vatican museum.

A De Wignacourt fl. 1780-1810

Vue du Cervier Ix IMC d'Yverton A pair of watercolours Unframed: 12% x 19'/. in / 32 x 50 cm Framed: 21% x 28% in / 54.5 x 72.3 cm It is possible that Dc Wignacourt was a traveller on the G r a n d Tour, painting the panoramic views of the valleys and lakes of Switzerland at the end of the eighteenth centur>'. H e was certainly a trained painter and may have been a tutor accompanying a family on their travels.

112

113

French School circa 1 7 3 0 A p a i r of" R o m a n \'ic\vs

E a s t e r n side there were a few g r a n d v illas

H o u s e w a s d o n e by the two f a m o u s

that b e l o n g e d to wealthy m e n such as

architects, S e v e r u s a n d Clelere. T h e p a i n t e r

The Esquiline Hill with the Baths

M a e c e n a s , adv iser to E m j j e r o r A u g u s t u s a n d

Fabullus d e c o r a t e d the whole house.

of Titus

p a t r o n o f arts.

. \ m a t e u r com[)etitions a n d p e r f o r m a n c e s

O n the south side o f the Hill, called

were held in N e r o ' s g a r d e n s . The v ineyards

The Esquiline Hill looking over the

' C o l l e O p p i o ' , there a r c r e m a i n s o f the

a n d o r c h a r d s were r e q u i r e d to lie plentiful

courtyard of Nero

B a t h s o f Titus, the B a t h s o f Trajan a n d ,

for a c o u r t y a r d such as N e r o ' s which w a s o f

close to the C o l o s s e u m , N e r o ' s ( i o l d e n

a r e c t a n g u l a r s h a p e . C^attle a n d wild b e a s t s

H o u s e ( D o m u s Aurea).

were kept in the m e a d o w s .

W a t e r c o l o u r s over etched outlines Unl'rained: 6 2 x 8 5 c m / 2 4 x 33 in

The O o l d e i i H o u s e w a s a s u m p t u o u s h o u s e built by N e r o a n d w a s l o c a t e d

Titus's Baths were built at a later d a t e as p a r t o f a political c a m p a i g n to return to the

T h e Esquiline Hill is the largest a n d highest

b e t w e e n the Esquiline a n d Palatine Hills.

R o m a n public the use o f s p a c e which h a d

o f the seven hills ol' R o m e a n d o n the

T h e d r a w i n g o f the p l a n s for the G o l d e n

previously been occu|)ied by N e r o .

114

115

Thakur Ganga Singh d. 1971 A botanical collection of the Flora of the Simla Hills Watercolours Unframed: 15 x 11'A in / 38 x 28.5 cm Framed: 2 2 % x I8'A in / 56.5 x 46.3 cm

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Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard 1825-1920

The Arch of Titus in the Forum at Rome Pen, black ink, a n d walercolour o n p a p e r Signed and dated, bottom left. Ijeclievallier/1851 U n f r a m e d : 32'/2 x 25% in / 83 x 65 cm F r a m e d : 5 0 x 42 in / 127 x 106.8 c m E d m o n d Lcchevallier-Chevignard was a p a i n t e r a n d illustrator. H e worked in the studio of Paul D e l a r o c h e (1797-1856) a n d then in that of M i c h e l - M a r t i n Drolling (1786-1851). In 1848, he received a commission f r o m the S e c o n d French Republic for a copy after a work by Vasari.

H e first exhibited at the Salon in 1849 with portraits a n d a study d r a w n after a picture by Perugino. H e t h e n worked for the Magasin Pilloresque for which he provided n u m e r o u s drawings f r o m 1851 onward.s. hi 1874 he t a u g h t at the Ecole National de Des.sin a n d in 1885, he was a w a r d e d the r a n k of Chevalier in the Legion d ' H o n n e u r .

In the f o r e g r o u n d of the present work is depicted the .'\rch of T i t u s a n d in the distance a r e the ruins of the D o m i t i a n ' s Palace. In the tradition of Piranesi's drawings, Lechevalier-Chevignard has o p t e d to represent this section of the R o m a n f o r u m with a theatrical a n d magnificent composition of the Arch; the artist has exaggerated the way the c o l u m n s a n d cornice stand out a n d given the m o n u m e i t t , generally d e p i c t e d frontally, a n unusual impression of volume. T h e d r a w i n g is however accurate: the bas-reliefs, capitals a n d friezes are r e n d e r e d in m i n u t e a n d exact detail.

In his article on Lechex allier-Chevignard, Paul Vitry wrote that there were s o m e jsretty eighteenth c e n t u r y drawings in his portfolios, a n d in 1864, the G o n c o u r t s m e n t i o n e d a portrait by C:hardin which was in the artist's possession. It would not therefore be surprising if the artist h a d d r a w n in.spiration f r o m an eighteenth c e n t u r y print or drawing, all the m o r e so since he did not \ isil Italy himself until 1857. Even the very technic|ue of this \ iew of the Arch of Titus is in the tradition of the f a m o u s watercolourists of that century, such as Ducros.

19

Paul-Cesar Helleu 1859-1927

Mme Helleu with Harp Signed in pencil lower right Sanguine, white and black chalk Unframed: 28V4 x W / , in / 73 x 45 cm Framed: 37V2 x 27 in / 95.2 x 68.5 cm PROVENANCE

Montesquiou family Helleu's fame is founded upon his etchings, pastels and drawings of beautiful women such as this. His career as an artist began in 1870 when he entered the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, studying under Jean-Leon Gerome, a pupil of Ingres. His reputation as an artist was established at the Salons of 1885 and 1886 where he exhibited several large pastels. H e was subsequently invited by Degas to show at the Impressionist Exhibition of 1886, but refused because of his dislike for Gauguin's work. T h e same year Tissot presented Helleu with the diamond that he used to draw drypoints on copper, regarding Helleu as his natural successor. As with Tissot's work, Helleu's depicts a strong influence of Japanese prints, especially in his choice of compositional perspective.

Although based in France, Helleu visited America in 1902, 1912 and 1920, and m a d e regular visits to England where, in 1895, he exhibited fifty-nine works at the Robert D u n t h o r n e Gallery in London. This show was visited by Princess Alexandra who commissioned an etching of herself, and he soon became renowned for his precise portrayals of fashionable beauties and society women including Helena Rubinstein, the Duchess of Marlborough and Belle de Costa Green (the Director of the Pierpont Morgan Library). His favourite model, however, was his wife and the many sketches and drypoints of her and their children are considered to rank among the best examples of his work.

Aside from his etchings and works in pastels, Helleu was an accomplished painter in oils and received much encouragement from his friends, including Sargent, Degas, Whistler and Boldini. In 1904 he was awarded the I^egion d'Honneur.

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