Mallett Gallery Catalogue

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MALLET T Gallery

141 New Bond Slrrct, London VVl Y OBS •|'clr])hone: 0171 499 741 1. Fax: 0171 495 3179

Mallett Gallery 141 X c w Hoiul S t r e e t London \ViVOBS T e l e p h o n e : 0171 499 7411 Fax: 0 1 7 1 4 9 5 3 1 7 9 J a m e s I laiAey (iallery Manaf^er Richard (;a\e

Mallctt & Son (Antiques) Ltd 141 N e w B o n d S t r e e t L o n d o n W I Y OBS T e l e p h o n e : 0 1 7 1 4 9 9 741 1 Fax: 0 1 7 1 4 9 5 3 1 7 9 DIRIX:

TORS

L a n t o S y n g e Ckief

Execulive

I'he H o n Peter Dixon Paula H u n t (Jiles H i i t e l i i n s o n S m i t h

Mallett at Bourdon House Ltd 2 D a \ i c s Street L o n d o n W IV IL] Telc])hone: 0171 629 2444 Fax: 0 1 7 1 4 9 9 2 6 7 0 D I R K C I O R S

Lanto Synge r i i e H o n Peter D i x o n Paula H u n t Thomas Woodham-Smith H e n r y X e \ ille J a n e ( n i a r l t o i i Associale Director

rront eo\er ( i a w e n H a m i l t o n . 'Jhe Dii (.'nne Family, O i l o n e a n x a s . 1(1 x 5 0 in / 101.5 x 127 e m . p a g e s 25-3().

F r o n t i s p i e c e (detail) Stephen

I'aylor. A I'ortrail of a Fox at the edge of a Wood,

O i l o n c a n x a s . 3 1 ' / j x 4 1 in / 8 0 x I 12 c m . p a g e Hi. © M a l l e t t & S o n (.\nticiues) L t d 1997 D e s i g n e d by F h e o H o d g e s Business D e s i g n C o n s u l t a n t s P r i n t e d hv I ' h e W h i t e D o \ e Press

Foreword r i i c M a l l c l t ( i a l l c r y h a s a c ( | u i r c d a n d built u p a n inijircssive c o l k ' c t i o n of im]50rtant a n d i n t e r e s t i n g ]5aintings of t h e e i g h t e e n t h a n d n i n e t e e n t l i c e n t u r i e s a n d w e h o p e y o u will like this selection.

The ])ictures a r e s h o w n in o u r galleries o n t h e s e c o n d a n d t h i r d lloors at M a l l e t t in N e w B o n d S t r e e t a n d also w i t h t h e f u r n i t u r e in t h e m a i n s h o w r o o m s w h e r e t h e y c a n h e e n j o y e d w i t h i n r o o m settings.

R e p r e s e i u i n g t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , ( J a w e n H a m i l t o n ' s llie

Diidaiie

Farnilr is c.spccially r e m a r k a i ) l e a n d a r g u a b l y t h e master]3iece of this \'ery r a r e artist (.see ]iagc 2.")). Also f r o m t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e u t u i y is W b o t t o n ' s ])ainting of Flviii!; Childers. t h e fastest r e c o r d e d r a c e h o r s e ol' all t i m e , a n d w h o s e o w n e r w a s t h e s e c o n d D u k e of DeNonsiiire {.see |3age 41).

C ' o n t i n u i n g oui' i n t e r e s t in fine n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y p a i n t i n g , w e a i e p r o u d to o l f e r J o h n W i l l i a m W a t c r h o u s e ' s g r e a t Flora and the ^ephyrs (sec ]3age 48). W c also illustrate E d w a r d B u r n e - J o n e s ' r e m a r k a b l e h'atie I^ivis w h i c h will next y e a r b e e x h i b i t e d at t h e I'klward B u r n e J o n e s C^entenary E x h i b i t i o n at t h e M e t r o ] ) o h t a n M u s e u m in N e w York (see ]}age 60).

, ' \ m o n g s t a \ a r i e c l g r o u p of w a t e r c o l o u r s , w e a r e s h o w i n g a \ ' e r y l a r g e a r c h i t e c t u r a l d r a w i n g of The .\nv

Liverpool Exehange by T h o m a s H e n r y

W'yatt (see ])age 65).

W e h o p e y o u will c o m e a n d \isit us h e r e in B o n d S t r e e t t o see t h e pictures themselves, together with the furnitiu e a n d other works of a r t . a n d also at B o u r d o n H o u s e nearby.

James H a r \ e y

%

Johann Baptist Drechsler 1756-1811

Still Life of Fruit and Flowers on a Stone I^dge Signed and dated 1807 O i l on can\ as 33 X 27'/. in / 84 x 70 cm

J o h a n n Dirchsler is an outstanding artist ol

factory, and rose to Ijecome a Director o f

the Viennese School. boUi as a founding

Porcelain Design at the \'ienna Academy in

figure and by the merits of his own work. He

1807. At the same time, he established

was a m o n g the first to take a specialist

himself as a master of conventional llower

interest in flower painting, and was l()llowed

painting, .\niong the earliest examples o f his

o\er a long ])eriod by many important artists.

work are a jjair of flower paintings dating

H e began his career at the age of sixteen

Warsaw), but the majority of his can\ascs

painting flowers in the Vienna porcelain

are dated between 1 790 and 1809.

from 1783 (now in the .\luzeum Narodowe.

School of Haarlem drca 1650

Two Rabbits in a Landscape Oil on canvas 2 4 X 33 in / 61 X 8 4 cm I'ROVKXANCK Private collection. I'Vance.

10

John Rubens Smith 1775-1849

scene from Oliver Goldsmith I'he Vicar of Wakefield 'The Vicar and his famUy sit in a bower by their favourite honeysuckle hedge, and listen to Olivia singing 'When lovely woman stoops tofolly\

She

swoons as she sees the approach of Sc/uire Thornhill.'

Oil on c a n v a s 2 2 X 2 8 in / 5 6 x 7 1 c m In its o r i g i n a l c a r \ c d a n d gilt f r a m e EXHimiKl)

London. Roval Acadcmv; 1797, no 560.

John R u b e n s S m i t h w a s a third generation

t a l e n t e d ] ) a i n t e r in oils. Best r e m e m b e r e d

a r t i s t , who.se g r a n d f a t h e r . T h o m a s .Smith o f

t o d a y a s t h e ] ) u b l i s h e r of ( J e o i g e . \ I o r l a n d .

D e r b y , h a d s t a r t e d t h e f a m i l y i n t e r e s t in t h e

J o h n R a j i h a c l passed on (he family talents

a r t w o r l d , f h o m a s h a d b e e n b o t h ]3ainter,

to his s o n , a n d J o h n R u b e n s w a s a l r e a d \

d r a u g h t s m a n , a n d engra\'er, m i i h i f a i i o u s

e x h i b i t i n g at t h e R o y a l A c a d e m y a s e a i ly a s

acti\ ities w h i c h h e pas.sed o n to his s o n ,

I 796 when aged only twenty-one.

John R a i j h a e l S m i t h . 'I'he S m i t h s w e r e

p r e s e n t ] ) a i n t i n g w a s e x e c u t e d the f o l l o w i n g

a m b i t i o u s a n d s u c c e s s f u l a r t entre|)renciu-s,

y e a r , t h e s e c o n d o f s o m e forly-fi\ e p a i n t i n g s

w i t h a taste for n a m i n g t h e i r c h i l d r e n a f t e r

w h i c h h e s u b m i t t e d in t h e y e a r s u]) to 1 8 1 1 .

The

the greatest of the O l d Masters. ' I ' h u s j o h n R u b e n s w a s b o r n a s t h e t h i r d , but first

Though enjoying reasonable success as a

siu-\ i v i n g , s o n . H i s p a r e n t s c h r i s t e n e d t h e i r

portraitist a n d landscape painter, the years

children with such n a m e s as L e o n a r d o .

of the Na|)oleonic w a r s w e r e dee])ly

A n g e l i c a Rosalba a n d Ra]3hael Claesar

i n i m i c a l to t h e f l o t u i s h i n g o f t h e a r t s in

' f h i s jjreposierous haliit, though, w a s

to t h e U S A w h e r e h e s e t t l e d in N e w Voi k.

] ) e r h a p s j u s t i f i e d b y the s u c c e s s that t h e

L i k e his father, his tastes w e r e a s m u c h for

family enjoyed. John Ra])hael Smith w a s

c o n n n e r c e a s for p a i n t i n g , a n d h e s e e m s to

Kngland, and Smith eventually emigrated

d o u b l l e s s the most c o m p e t e n t , a n d

h a v e e n j o y e d a s t e a d y s u e e e s s in his n e w l y

o c c a s i o n a l l y b r i l l i a n t . me/,/.otinter of t h e

a d o ] ) t e d coiuUry. H e d i e d in N e w \'ork

late I 8 l h c e n t u r y , a n d a s ] ) o r a d i c but h u g e l y

ill 1 8 1 9 .

Jan Griffier The Elder

•

1645-1718

a A panoramic view of Greenwich, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs beyond Oil on can\'as 36 X 57 i n / 9 1 . 5 X 144 c m Clonlained within a sn]x-rb period ' a c o r n a n d oak l e a f c a i v e d a n d gilded franie.

J a n (irillier was an A m s t e r d a m b o r n

English style of such ])ainters as William

m e r c h a n t whose amatein' interest in

Tomkins a n d T h o m a s Smith. T h e last d e c a d e

p a i n t i n g developed into a ])rofessional one.

of his life was devoted to topogra])hical

His c a r e e r was split b e t w e e n H o l l a n d a n d

landscape p a i n t i n g a l o n g the 'I'hames \ allcy,

E n g l a n d , w h e r e he first arrived jlist after

e.g. Cireenwich, Windsor, O x f o r d a n d

1666. H e took lessons li'om the l a n d s c a p e

(iloncestershire. H e alscj m a d e occasional

p a i n t e r Jan Lo(ncn, a n o t h e r English-based

forays into types of ))ainting such as exotic

D u t c h m a n , whose tonality he Imitates

bird i^ieces in the m a n n e r of his I'ellow e m i g r e

t h r o u g h o u t his career. H e travelled widely

jjainter Pieter Casteels.

(Vertue tells us that he ke])t his own yacht, which on one occasion was wrecked on a

T h i s |)ainting is a most interesting addition (it

j o u r n e y to H o l l a n d , t h e r e b y cau.sing the loss

is ]3rc\iously unrecorded) to t h e relati\'ely

of m u c h of his stock of drawings) a n d

sparse d o c u m e n t a r y ev idence of the

seems to h a \ c worked in a n u m b e r of

a p p e a r a n c e of E o n d o n after the first wave of

provincial English locations.

rebuilding after the (Jreat Fire of 1666. T h e jsainting m a y he dated very accurately to the

In a b o u t 1695 (and possibly earlier) ( i r i l h e r

earliest years of the 18th c e n t u r y f r o m the

was o n c e m o r e in H o l l a n d , w h e r e h e

ev idence of the progress m a d e in the building

r e m a i n e d for a d e c a d e or so. His r e t u r n to

of the Royal Naval Hos])ital with its

E o n d o n in 1705, w h e r e he b e c a m e part of

c o l o i m a d e half-finished in the painting. It is

the bustling Xethcrlandish e m i g r e art scene,

also an exceptionally rare record of the

was m a r k e d by a c h a n g e of his .style to what

a]j]3carance of old (Jreenwich before the early

might be best described a ])roto-Engiish

v e r n a c u l a r buildings were swejjt away d u r i n g

landscape technic[uc, a ])recursor of the |)iire

the later stage of the building of the college.

12

""iilR''- ^:

i:?

Mary Moscr 1744-1819

Still Lifes of Flowers A pair Botli iiiscrit)cd on labels attached to the stretcher From Mr. Sharp's collections of the early /larl of the 18th century and brought from his seat at Brockley Hill, Middlesex on the demolition of the house in 1830 ()il on canvas Hach 21 X 14 ill / 53 X 35.5 cm I'ROVKNAXCr,

Mr. Sharj), Brockley Hall, f r o m w h o m b o u g h t in 1830; L{)rd I ) u \ c e n , by w h o m sriwn to t h e f a t h e r of the last owner.

M a r y M o s e r was the d a u g h t e r of ( i e o r g e Michael M o s e r RA {I 704 -1 783), w h o was ])rimarily a gold-chaser a n d enamellist, i)ut also d r a w i n g m a s t e r to CJeorge III. She herself was a flower ]3ainter in Ijoth oil a n d watercoloiu; a n d was a p p o i n t e d Flower Fainter to ( ^ u e c n C-harlotte for w h o m she d e c o r a t e d a r o o m at Frogmore. She exhibited at the Socicty of Artists f r o m 1 7 6 0 - 1 7 6 8 a n d , like her father, was a Foundation M e m b e r of the RA. F u r t h e r exam])les of her work can be fiiund in the British M u s e u m , the Victoria & .Mbert Nhiseum, the Leicestershire Art Gallery, a n d the Ulster M u s e u m .

Stephen Taylor

a g e o f indin'erent o r i n f e r i o r c|uality is so well

lechni(|ues a n d m a t e r i a l s . ' l a y l o i ; i h e n . is a

(l.lfil 7-1849

d o c i i m e i u e d , C a i r i o u s , too. that his |)aintin!)s

t h o r o u g h l y ])rofessional artist, but o n e w h o .

s h o u l d a|)|)ear so r a r e l y o n i h e m a r k e t , w h e n

(Ies])ite t h e o r d i n a r i n e s s ol his a n i m a l

w e know. Irom t h e e \ i c l e n c e of t h e m a j o r

s u b j e c t s , u s u a l l y m a n a g e s to s u i p r i s e by his

l . o n d o i i I'.xhihitions. that h e w a s r e a s o n a b l y

in\cnti\'eness.

.1 Portrait of a Fox at the edge of a (1 ood ( ) i l oil c a i i x a s X 1 1 ill / 8 0 X 112 c m

|)rolilic: h e e x h i b i t e d Ibrty-niiU' p a i n t i n g s at t h e R o y a l . ' V a d e i n y a l o n e b e t w e e n 1817 a n d 1 8 1 9 .

The ])resent e n t r a n c i n g ])ortrait o f a Ibx is ty])ical of his w o r k , m i n u t e l y o b s e n e d a n d

I'aylor's life w e know relati\'ely little: h e

most c a r e f u l K p a i n t e d , it e x u d e s t h e a i r o f

l'K(>\ l A . w c i :

or

l'ri\alc ( l o l l w l i o n , (ilouc csU'ishirc.

w o r k e d in W i n c h e s t e r . O x f o r d a n d L o n d o n ,

t h e closest o b s e r x a t i o n f r o m n a t u r e . Hut it is

b u t w e h a v e no know l e d g e ol' t h e p l a c e a n d

no m e r e pli()t()gra])hic likeness: w a r m t h of

d a t e o f his b i r t h , n o r an\ lact a b o u t his a r t i s t i c

f e e l i n g Ibr his c r a f t y sitter a n d seiisitis ity to

It is c u r i o u s iiiclccd l h a t a n a n i m a l ] ) a i n t c r a s

t r a i n i n g . T h e e\ i d e n c e of his |)aiinings s u g g e s t s

c h a r a c t e r a r e e\ i(lent in e x c r y b r u s h s t r o k e ,

a c c o m p l i s h e d a s is l a y l o r s h o u l d t o d a y l)c so

a most t h o r o u g h t r a i n i n g in d r a u g h t s m a n s h i p ,

a n d elex-ate t h e ] ) a i n t i n g far a b o x c the lexcl

lilllc k n o w n , w h e n m a i u ' a n o t h e r artist o f his

a n d a w h o l l y com|)etent k n o w l e d g i - o f p a i n l i n g

of a m e r e j j o r t r a i t o f a f a x o u r i t e a n i m a l .

Hi

Martin Theodore Ward

i n t r o d u e e d W a r d to his lo\e o f a n i m a l a n d

I 799-1874

s p o r t i n g ]xuntint>. H e e x h i b i t e d at t h e R o y a l Ac a d e m y b e t w e e n 1 8 2 0 a n d 1 8 2 5 a n d a l s o

Portrait of a Doo in a

Landscape

( ) i l on c a i u as . X 19' . in / lOO.,") x 1 2() c m

at t h e B r i t i s h I n s t i t u t e a n d S u H b l k S t r e e t .

The m a j o r i t y o f his w o r k w a s o f a s])ortins> nature, and l.andseer's inlluenee can clearly b e s e e n , i n s o m e o f his m o r e a m b i t i o u s e o m | ) o s i t i o n s it is a l s o p o s s i b l e to d e t e c t e l e m e n t s o f J a m e s W a r d ' s style.

M a r t i n W a r d w a s I'roni a n c s l a h i i s l i c d arlislicl a i n i i x . liu- son o f W i l l i a m W a r d (1 7 ( ) ( i - 1 8 2 ( ) ) w h o was a talcnlcd cniiravcr. and with an inipoitant lamiK conncclion t o j a i n c s W a r d .

I Ic s l n d i i ' d u n d e r S i r I . d w i n l . a i i d s c c r a n d it w a s u n d o u b t e d l y this p u p i l l a g e that

17

18

C^harlcs Towne 1763-1810

The Master of the llokombe

Harriers

riding a dun horse in a river landscape, his hounds by his side.

Signed Oil on c'aii\ as X 44% in / 95 x 1 1 1 c m

C h a r l e s ' I b w n e was the loading L i w i p o o l

The H o l c o m b e H a r r i e r s are jjrobably the

lancisca])!', a n i m a l a n d s]j()rling p a i n t e r of

oldest established ])ack of harriers in the

the lirsl hall' ol' the nineteenth centiiry. His

country. They h a w bi-en in existence for

teehnic|iie is highly relined a n d painterly,

()\er three h u n d r e d years, a n d the hoiinds

a n d |)resages the 'finish" which is the c o r n e r -

ha\'e been kennelled at the s a m e |)lace,

stone of Victorian painting. In his early

H o l c o m b e in Lancashire, for u p w a i d s of

work, his d r a w i n g is c h a r m i n g l y n a i \ e a n d

two h u n d r e d and fifty years. The m o d e r n

])ro\ incial. However, by the late 1 79()'s, as

h a r r i e r is a h o u n d whii h d e r i \ e s ultimately

was noted in Farringtoirs 'Diaries', this

f r o m the French blue-mottled ( i a s c o n y

technic(iie h a d d c \ e l o p e d a n d been

h o u n d which was used to hunt hare li'om

lierfected. His first p a i n t i n g was exhibited at

the earliest times in France. In H)17, King

the Royal A c a d e m y in 1799. In the next

J a m e s I \ isited H o u g h t o n T o w e r a n d

d e c a d e he a j j p e a r s to have b e e n itinerant

H o l c o m b e w h e r e he so enjoyed the s])ort

(his n a m e is missing f r o m the Lixerpool

that he g r a n t e d the ])ack"s M a s t e r a Royal

Directories for these years), bnt by the end of

W a r r a n t to h u n t o \ e r t w e h e townships,

t h e decade, he was snlliciently well-known in

a n d , almost uni(|uely, to wear the Royal

the C;itv to he a f o n n d e r a n d \'icc-Prcsidcnt

Scarlet Livcrv' (as shown in o u r |)ainting) -

of Livcr])ool A c a d e m y H e died in Li\er]5ool

h a r r i e r ]5acks usually have a green li\ery.

on ()th J a n u a r y 1840, the possessor of a

I'he pack flourishes today, a n d retains a \ ast

considerable local a n d national reputation.

C o u n t r v in Lancashire.

19

Joseph Nickolls fl.l731-

174«

A View of Old Horse Guards Parade, with elegant figures promenading, with a view through to Inigo Jones' House in

Banqueting

]\'hitehall

Fainted area 1 745 Oil on c a n v a s 4 0 X 50 in / 101.5 x 127 c m In a n e x c e p t i o n a l ]5eri()cl caivecl a n d u,ildcd Iranic.

J o s e p h Xickolls is a s o m e w h a t e n i g m a t i c

c o n t e m p o r a r y L o n d o n . His figures a r e

figure in early British landsca|3e ]5ainlins>-.

disjjlayed in elegant jjoses r e m i n i s c e n t of

a n d lilUe is k n o w n ol" his life otiier t h a n the

C^analetto a n d j o l i (both of w h o m w e r e in

e v i d e n c e of his o w n ]Dainting. His ])aintinss,

the city in t h e 1 740's). a n d m u c h m o r e

w h i c h a r e know n f r o m d a t e d exani])les

highly c o l o u r e d t h a n most of his British

b e t w e e n 1731 a n d 174!!, s h o w a

contemi^oraiies.

r e m a r k a b l e k n o w l e d g e of \ e n e t i a n com]3()sition a n d j j a i n t i n g t e c h n i c | n e at a

'I'his ])icture c a n b e d a t e d to limi 1745, a

d a t e well b e f o r e C a n a l e t t o \ isited l - n g l a n d

little b e f o r e Clanaletto's o w n jjaintings f r o m

a n d e x e r t e d such a s t r o n g infliience o n

a similar \ i e w p o i n l . T h e d a t i n g m a y b e

])ainiers like S a m u e l S c o t t .

t a k e n f r o m t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e of O l d H o r s e

Nickolls' w o r k s a r e n e a r l v alwavs views of

jjrior to t h e develo])meiU of the later 1 740's.

( i t i a r d s P a r a d e , w h i c h is s h o w n in its state

20

( f ^ v :: - . - i a - r - ^ - -

21

Giovanni Paolo Pannini 1691/2-1765

Architectural (Japriccio of the ruins of ancient Rome with figures O i l on c a n v a s 2 8 X 3 7 ' / , in / 71 x 9 6 c m PROVKXANCK G CJanliiKT. H e r o n ' s ( J l i ) l l .

I . r i F.RA l T R K

F Ai'isi, Giovanni Paolo Pannini e i fasti delta Roma del 1700

:I989,| jjagv 2 5 2 , illusti a i c d n o

6 8 . also illustratocl in c o l o u r in i h c text. ]5 4 1 a n d witii a detail in b l a c k a n d while.

Ciioxanni I ' a o l o F a n n i n i is perliajjs die i)est known a n d widely c o l l e c t e d ol the R o m a n |)ainters o f architei tinal caprieci in the 18th c e n t i n y H e was i m m e n s e l y successful din ing his lifetime, a n d m a n y o f his W{)rks (like the |)resent one) w e r e b r o u g h t l)ack from Italy by Ijnglish c o l l e c t o r s on the " ( i r a n d Tour". T h e p r e s e n t |3ainting dates l i o i n his early career, w h e n he was mtich i n l l u e n c e d by (Jhisolli.

The c o l o t n s a r e dee]ily saturated a n d rich a n d the d r a w i n g \ igorous a n d jjrecise.

C'ollectors' a n d artists' interest in the r e m a i n s o f classical antic|uity h a d b e e n witnessed since the e n d o f the m i d d l e ages. (Classical buildings appear, s o m e t i m e s incongruously, in m a n y o f the religious paintings o f the r e n a i s s a n c e . B y the 17th century, the buildings themselves w e r e the essential s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f m a n y ])aintings, a n d not m e r e l y the setting for a didactic religious scene. Pure a r c h i t e c t o n i c ])ainting, t h o u g h , is relatix'cly rare, a n d the m a j o r i t y o f such p a i n l i n g s would include classical motifs to illustrate the know ledge o f the ]3ainter a n d the e d u c a l e d standards o f his clients.

I ' a n n i n i is a s e m i n a l ligtn'e in this new world.

His jKiintings are not m e r e illustiations in a lo])ogra)5hical sense, but b r i n g t o g e l h e r . a c c o r d i n g to the rules o f com])osition a n d taste, buildings from the a n c i e n t world which wci'e. in n uth. located far from e a c h other.

This (win a])peal to the i m a g i n a t i o n a n d the

99

WV^'

h i s t o r i c a l s e n s e o l ' t h e first a g e o f t l i e ( i r a i i d T o u r w a s i r r e s i s t i l ) l c . a i u i F a n i i i n i ' s ])aiiuin.!;s w e r e h()iis>iit in l a r ^ e n i i n i l j e r s b y y o u n g I'aigiisii " M i l o r t h " a n d t h e i r e o t u i t e r ] ) a r t s lioni otiier countries.

I h e y a r e t h e s|)irituai

l o r e b e a r s o f t h e a g e ol' ( l a n a l e t t o a n d (Jiiardi - and indeed their careers coincided w i t h t h e l a t t e r s t a g e s ol

I'annini s woi k w h e n

lie a d o ] ) t e d tlie t o n a l i t y o f his ] ) a i n l i n g s t o t h e prex a i l i n g t a s t e I b r a l i g h t e r a n d m o r e r o c o c o palette.

24

Gawen Hamilton 1697-1737

A Conversation Piece: The Wedding Party of the marriage of Charles Bohem to Jane Du Cane, with portraits of sixteen members of the families in the sumptuous interior of their house

Gawcn Hamilton 1698-1737

A (Jonversatiori piece: the Wedding Party of the marriage of Charles Bohem to Jane Du Cane, with portraits of sixteen members of the families in the sumptuous interior of their house Oil on cain as 40 X 50 in / 101.5 x 127 cm C^ontaincd in its magnificent original giltwoocl frame, car\c(l with the armorial achicNcincnts of the con|}le, Hohem im|)aling DuClane: "Sable three Horseshoes 2 & 1 ])oints downwards Argent (for Hohem) and Argent a Lion ram])ant Sable dncally crowned O r on a C^anton A/.iire a C^hex ron between three Acorns slip]3ed and erect ()r (Ibr DiiC.ane) Extensively inscribed in an early hand with biographies of the sitters on the reverse of the canvas.

I'ROVKXAXCK Commissioned by Cniaiies Boheni (1()941769) after his marriage on September lOth 1730 t o j a n e D u C a n e (171 1-1756); by descent to tlieir son Clement Bohem (17331804) who died without issue, leaving the painting to his cousin Peter DuCIane (1 7411822), wlio was the son of his mother's brother, and also called Peter DuCIane (171 3-1803); wliencc by direct descent to the present.

27

T h e Artist's Masterpiece T h i s is uiK|ucstional)iy t h e finest a n d i)cst

f e a t u r e of British | ) a i n t i n g in the Ifith

]3reser\cd w o r k h) H a m i l t o n , a n d ]3re\ ioiisly

century. H i s success as a p a i n t e r ol"

uniJiibiished a n d u n r e c o r d e d .

con\-ersations w a s i m m e d i a t e (the ]3resent o u t s t a n d i n g p a i n t i n g , a m o n g s t his earliest

( i a w e n H a m i l t o n w a s Ijorn in H a m i l t o n in

a t t e m p t s at t h e g e m e , w o u l d e x p l a i n why),

the west of S c o t l a n d in 1698. T h e details of

a n d \ e r t u e describes h i m as ' O n e of t h e

his early history a n d artistic t r a i n i n g a r e

most e l e \ a l e d M e n i}i Art h e r e n o w ' , a n d the

u n k n o w n until h e a r r i v e d in L o n d o n in chra

ri\ al of I l o g a r t h . \ e r t u e c o n s i d e r e d h i m

1726. H e is r e c o r d e d (by ( J e o r g e X'ertue) as

su])erior to H o g a r t h 'in c o l o u r i n g a n d easy

b e i n g a pupil of t h e a n i m a l ])ainter W i l l i a m

g r a c e f u l likeness'. Like his ri\ al H o g a r t h ,

Wilson (whose only k n o w n signed work is

H a m i l t o n was notal)lv short ol stature.

illustrated in W a t e r h o u s e ' s Dictionary of British I8tli Ceiitmj Painters, a n d was e x h i b i t e d at

H a m i l t o n l i \ e d in the artistic milieu of

Mallett's in 1996.) \Villiam Wilson is al.so

( l o x e n t G a r d e n , a n d the ex i d e n c e of his m o s t

r e c o r d e d as a ' D e a l e r a n d A u c t i o n e e r of

f a m o u s ] ) i c t u r e . J (mversatwn

A r t ' , a n d it s e e m s likely that it was h e w h o

( N a t i o n a l Portrait (iallery) shows that h e w a s

i n t r o d u c e d H a m i l t o n into t h e L o n d o n

readily accc])ted into t h e c e n t r e of artistic life

artistic milieu in w h i c h h e l l o u r i s h e d . I'or

in L o n d o n in t h e 173()'s. H e r e a r e de])ictecl

t h r e e o r f o u r years h e p a i n t e d s t a n d a r d

m a n y of t h e m o s t f a m o u s artists, scul]3tors

of Virtuusis

portraits before becoming a prototype

a n d ])atrons of t h e day, a n d s t a n d i n g

p a i n t e r of ' c o n v e r s a t i o n s ' - the i n f o r m a l

p r o m i n e n t l y h o l d i n g his p a l e t t e is H a m i l t o n

g r o u j i ])ortraits w h i c h a r e such a n o t a b l e

himself in self-portrait.

VJ

f m . • "iS.

Ahon: A (Miirnuiliiiii 'ij l'iiliii>M\ (Jawni ll.miillmi N.ilinti.il I'urlr.iil (i;illci 'J9

rhe sitters in the painting numbered 1-18 are:

1

(Sir) S i g i s m u n d B o h e m T r a f f o r d 1694-1741

Eldest son of (Menient lioheni I {no.7) Mariicd Elizabeth (no.li). heiress of Sir (Jilbeit Heathcole.

(4ianged his name from Bohem to rrallincl upon inheriting his rralford grandniother's estates in l^ssex.

2

Jane Bohem 171 i-i7r)(i

Daughtef of Richard aio. 15) and Anne (nee Eyde) Dii C;ane.

The bride and princ ipal subject of this grou|).

Charles Bohem 1694-17(i<l

3rd son ol" Clement Boheni I (no.7).

The groom in the paiming.

1

M a r t h a B o h e m (nee Hudson> 1702-17110

Wife of |-xlninnd Boheni !no.5).

J

Edmund Bohem 1702-1771

4th son of CHenient Bohem 1 (no.7) and Husband of .Martha (no.4i.

Elizabeth Bohem Trafford

Daughter of Sir (Jilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, wife of Sir .Sigisimind ino.l).

7

Clement Bohem I ii),)9-i7:»

l ather of the grooni and nos. 1. ;i. 5. 8. 9. 1 1 and 13.

a

C l e m e n t B o h e m II 16!I3-1741

2nd son of Cli-ment Boheni 1 ino.7).

((

Anne T o n n e r e a u b.lti98

Widow, daughter of Cilenienl Boheni 1 no.7).

10

R i c h a r d Du C a n e II 171f)-17(il

Brother ol the bride (no.2; and second son of Richard Du Ciaiie 1 (iio.l5).

11

M a r t h a Walton 1701-1761

Widow of .Samuel Walton, and 3r(i daughter of (llenient Boheni I (no.7).

12

C l e m e n t B o h e m III i7:5:Mii04

1st child of (iharles fno.3) andjane Bohein no.2).

13

Susanna Bohem b. 1705

Daughter of Clement Boheni 1 (no.7).

P e t e r Du C a n e I

Brother of the bride (no.2: and. at the date of the ])aintin.g. liaiu e of Mary .Norris (no. Hi) wliiini h<' subseciuenlly married on 27 Man h 1735.

(iount\ High .Slierilf of Braxted Lodge, f^ssex in 1745. Direeior and (;(i\ernor of the liank ol' England. Director of the I'^asi India Company. \'i(c President of the London Inlirmary. His son Peu-r Du Cane II inherited (he jiainting from Cleni<-nt Pxihem III no.l2 in 1,'iOI.

father of tin- bride (no.2) and I'eter 'no. 14) and Richard II no. 10,.

.\IP liir Col( hester 1715-1722. Din e tor of the liank of laigland. (jo\ eruor of ( Christ's Hospilal. one of the (irand ( iommittee of St. I'honias's and (iu\ "s 1 lospitals. P 1 U I ( K ratic linaiicier and (olleague of (:ienien[ Bohem 1 no.7 .

i7i:M!io:i

1.')

R i c h a r d Du C a n e I b.llifil

I(<

M a r y Norris 1711-1 7:)1!

1 iance of I'eter 1 )u (.'ane 1 utt. 1 1 whoni she married 27 .Mart h 17!15. Daugluer and sole heiress ol Herny .Norris of 1 lackne\ and Woodliird. a merchant.

It sft-ins iikcK ihiit the |);nnliii<^s han<;in^ nn lli( • wall behind the grou]) are: 17

Clement Bohem 1 i(i:>9-i7:ii

.\s a \<)ung man.

II!

Anne B o h e m 11)71-1722

Daughter .md heiress of I 'ishet Dilke .uid .\nne 1 ralllird. and wife of (lleincni Bohem 1, holding one of their ele\en ( hihlrcn.

30

(;o\crnor of the Russia (^impaiiy.

.Scion of a wcaltin Strasburg inert hant faniih. Director of the Bank of laigland. and founder of the family l()rtime in I'.ngland. merchant with large business interesls in St. Petersburg,

Born during the period of the painting of this pit ture. lie inherited this painting from his jiarents and be(|iieathed it to I'eter Du C^iiie. his cousin, son of I'eter Du (iane 1 ^no.fb and •Mary, (nee Norris) (no. Hi).

18

17

10

ll s c c n i s l i k e l y t i i a t t h e

Bolicm/Du(^aiu'

child.

The iin hision o f the i n t e n d e d

16

bride

p a i i i l i n t ; is o n e o f l l i c lirsi i-ssays i n t l i c i i r w

o f I V t e r D u C a n e o n t h e f a r rit>hl h a n d

iiilornial p o r l i a i l u i c wliirli was to c a p l u r c

o f t h e c o n i p o s i t i o n a l s o a])|)ears t o b e a n

i h c i m a n i i i a l i o n ( a n d t h e p a l r o n a n c ) ol

a r t e r t h o i m h t ol

the

t h e ori<;inal

side

composition,

m e r c h a n t c l a s s d u r i n g t h e lirst h a l l ' o f

The f o u n d a t i o n s o f the aristocratic society

1 isiiis; w r a l l l i y m i d d l e class o f l - n ^ l a n d . i n

r i i c y w e r e m a r r i e d t h e f o l l o w i n n year.

l l i a l its i n ( <'i)ti()n n u i s l d a l r t o s h o r t l y a l t e r

d a t e o l ' I 7!) 1 t h u s e s t a b l i s h e s p r i o r i t N

Septeniher

m a n \ o f t h e e a r l i e s t w o r k s b\ 1 l o [ ; a r l h i n

l(")th c e n t u r y b\- t h e t n i n i o i l o f

e\ i d e i i e e d b y t h e d a t e o n t h e (lo( n i n e i i t

t h e s a m e n c n r e . .\s s u i h . w e inaN

s|)eculation c u l m i n a t i n g in the S o u t h

held In

that the p a i n t i n g has a n

1 7:5(1. a n d its ( o n i p l e t i o n (as

R i e h a r d l ) i i ( l a n e I) t o i n i d - l 7!5 I.

The over

acci'pt

unsus|)ecte(l

the

I fSth c e n t u r y .

lead by the W h i g grandees h a d been

shaken

t o t h e i r r o o t s i n t h e lirst t w o d e t a d e s o f

B u b b l e (I 7L'()). a n d m a n y o l d

the

linaneial Sea

landowning

i m p o r t a n c e in t h e d e x c l o p m e n t o f

this

f a m i l i e s h a d b e e n m i n e d , .\ lew

p e c u l i a r l y i i r i t i s h ty|)e o l

The

c a u t i o n s a n d shrewd business m e n

(iiotabK

the i l n g n e n o l s ) h a d improved iheir

lortnne

p o r t r a i t g r o u p s i n I ' . n g l a n d b y s u c h a r t i s t s as

considerabK

the

this p i c t u r e : p e n t i n i e n t o a n a K s i s su^nests

1lamilton. William

])reseul p a i n t i n g m a y b e c o m c i v e d as a

that the c o n i p o s i t i o n was o r i g i n a l l y

l)e\ is relle( Is t h e rise i n prosperit\ o l

both

c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e i i ( al\-based w e a l t h .

( o n e e i v e d w i t h o u t the portrait ol' the s m a l l

the

urban

I n e x i l a b K . in l ! , n g l a n d . t h e next

w h e n it w a s d a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t . i n e l n s i o n ol

The

t h e lirst s o n o f t h e n i a i r i a t ^ c

( c l e h i a t e d in t h e p a i n l i i i L ; is a n aside o n the tiineseale ol

inteiestins^

the p a i i U i n i ; ol

painting.

d e x c l o p m e n t o f these small

inrormal

I lonarth. and

.\rthur

l o i A ' s(|uirear( h\ a n d t h e w e a l t h x

more

dtii i n g this p e r i o d , a n d

generation

l l i e Bohem and Du Caiie family trees

Philips I'lioi'bc 17'.'

ol tlie f a m i l y Ix'canic c o u n t r y g c n t l c m a i i .

f r o m the twin ( i e o r g i a n resources o f

with estates in Essex).

D i r e c t o r s h i ] ) o f the Hank o f E n g l a n d a n d

ultimate root in the b o u r g e o i s f a m i l y grou])s

Political P a t r o n a g e (he was M P f o r

w h i c h sufluse f 7 t h c e n t i n y D u t c h painting,

Both faniihcs boasted Direc tors o f the Hank

Clolchester. 171,0-1722, at time o f the

by artists such as 'Per Horch. Pieter de

o f E n g l a n d , w h i c l i . i)y a m i x t u r e o f

greatest financial uncertainty).

H o o c h and ( i o n z a l e s Clocjues, and w e m a y

prudence, c i i i c a n e r y a n d f e a r s o m e

l)irectorshi])s w e r e \ irtually hereditary: the

i m a g i n e that a f a m i l y such as the H o h e m s

com]3etition. had established itself as the

g r o o m himself, Clharles B o h e n i , was a Hank

(recently arrixed in Britain f r o m a mercantile

monopolist sup]jlicr o f credit to

D i r e c t o r f r o m 1 750 until his death in 1 7()!).

The

(io\'ernnient din ing the troubled years ol'

C^onx ersation ]3ieces o f this type have their

f a m i l y in .Strasburg) a n d the D u ( ! a n e s (I'Vench jsrotestants l o n g e r established here)

the South Sea Hubble and after. It had been

Peter D u C a n e ( w h o subse(|uently b e c a m e

sorely tried f o r this p r e - e m i n e n c e by the

o w n e r o f this H a m i l t o n |3ortrail g r o u ] ) )

rivalry o f o t h e r banks ( m a i n l y the curiously

ser\'cd as D i r e c t o r a n d ( i o x e r n o r d u r i n g the

A l the date o f this picture, most British

named "Sword Hladc ( l o m ] ) a n y " ) , m a n y o f

great j j e r i o d of e c o n o m i c e x j j a n s i o n in the

])ainting was stuck in the dull attenuated

which had colla])sed in the a f t e r m a t h o f

years 1 7r)()-l 7}i,'l H e in his turn was the

Augustan |)omp o f the later fbllowers o f Sir

the Hubble.

patron o f the couNcrsation-paintcr .\rthur

( i o d f i ' c y K n e l l c r , and there is much which, if

.Men like the ])atriaich ( d e m e n t

lioheiu.

w h o sils assured and confident in the m i d d l e

w o u l d haxe b e e n a w a r e o f these archetxpi's.

Dc\ is. w h o painted his portrait in 1747-

technically w o i t h y . is little m o r e than the

relaxing with his gtm and spaniel: now a

w r e t c h e d "fi/./.-mongering" at w h i c h H o g a r t h

(Country .S<|uirc not a C i t y I'aUier!

railed. It must t h e r e f o r e haxe been litllc

This

o f this o|)ulciU d r a w i n g l o o i n (])resumably

portrait is |)art o f o n e o f the most e n d e a r i n g

m o r e than astonishing to the rim-of-the-mill

in their house in Tw i c k e n h a m ) as fatlu-r o f

groups o f con\'ersalion pieces o f the l o t h

])ortrail painter (and his d i c a r y p a t i o n ) that

the g r o o m , had eiu ichcd thcinscKcs

centiiry. T h i s set comprises not o n l y Peter

s o m e t h i n g so lixely and different could

uiightiK li'om their shareholding in the

D n C a n e ' s jjorirait dig. I), but also se])arate

actually be o b t a i n e d in E o n d o n .

liank o f E n g l a n d . Eikew isc the father o f the

])ortraits o f his w ife (fig. 2) and their t l n c e

c o m ] ) o s i t i o n d e m a n d s our atti'ntion: the

bride. R i c h a r d D u C a n e , had g i o w n wcalth\-

children (fig. !5).

social liistorx' c o n t a i n e d in the g r a n d

;52

The

T h e D u C a n e family by Arthur Dcvis

/•(!;.:'. .Mary Niirris, 1711-17.i!i

/vs./. IVkr DiiC.iiii-, l7l:MR(i:i

DuCane Ridiard I()HI-I71 1 Lyde Anne

DuCane

DuCane

DuCane

JilllC

I'cu 1

Richard

171 I - I 7 ' i l ,

171:)- lifli:!

171,',-1711

Bohem

Norris

ll.'ll-lTli'l

171 1- 1 7.">ii

Mary

1

1

DuCane

DuCane

Ri( I k i h I

I'ctcr

17i'l.171.1,

1 KJ>

DuCane .\I,irv 17 l ' , - l ! ! I J

/•iii.i. /.//.• Kirli.inl Diic:,111.'. I 7:l'l-1 71.1,; .IMZ/r .\l.ir\ DiiC.iiic, I 7 Ti-1 li IL':/.'«/"• IVu'i DUC.IMI-. I7II-III21!

Ixjurgcois scuiiig. llu- c o n f i d c n l t'lijoymciit o f

to the D o m i n a n c e o f I n d e p e n d e n t (!a])ital -

the lra])|)ings o f great u c a l l l i cx idciiccd Ijy

a n d these arc a m o n g s t the |)rotot\pe

the Tui kish car|X't. llic early r o c o c o lirc]5lace

(:a|)italists, w h o s e wealth c o m e s l i o n i trade

c r o w n e d with tlu' a r m s o f B o h e n i / l ) u ( . ' a i i e

not agriculture.

(e\ idencc o f tlic a\ant-garde in I 73()"s interior decor), the opiiiciit g i h w o o d a n d

'I'echnically, the ])ainting is a tonr-dc-l()r(c.

ii])iu)lstcred furnitiire (\ery siniilar to tiie

w i t h a softness a n d lixelincss o f execution

lainoiis set w h i c h sur\ i\es at Stoneieigii

w h i c h is u n i m a g i n a b l e a d e c a d e earlier t h a n

Ai)i)ey) are all tokens o f the p r o l o t i n d

I 730, a n d exc e p t i o n a l l y rare excii t h e n .

c h a n g e w h i c h ha|)])ens in ( i e o r g i a n

The p a i n t siii face is entirely fresh a n d

E n g l a n d . I'he c o i m t r y is b e g i n n i n g to nio\e

u n a b r a d e d , a n d all the original gla/.es

Iroiii the D o m i n a n c e o f the L a n d e d Interest

entircK intact.

31

Jean-Louis Prevost area M&O-circa IfilO

Still Life of Roses in a Glass Vase on a Stone I^dge Oil on cainas 16 X 12 in / 40.5 x 30.3 c m

i.n KR.vrrRK Bcllicr Bcnczit Fare, 1976, jjp. 1«8, 190. 294, 297

.MISKLMS Bf.san(;oii. iTancc Fit/.william. C^ainhriclgc Stoc kliolni. S w e d e n

Pirxost was h o r n in N o i n t e l , F r a m e. A ]5upil oi' Bachclier, his s]3eciality was to he still-life p a i n t i n g in b o t h oil a n d watereoloiir, a n d his mastery ol' the genre is s h o w n in this delieatc a n d sim]3ly c o m p o s e d study o f roses.

H i s dedication to this school o f ])ainting led h i m to be accepted to the A c a d e m i c de S a i n l L u c where he exhibited in 1774. H e also exhibited at the S a l o n , l i o m 1791 to 1810, a n d was a teacher. A c o n t e m p o r a r y critic is C | t i o t e d as saying

that with a little

m o r e a]iplication. ... IVe\ <)st a n d his elder b r o t h e r Faigene Jose])h, ... w o u l d be the \an H u v s u m s o f IVance."

37

French School, after FraiK^ois Bouchcr ana 1800

Fontaine de FAmour and L' Vieu\ Diseur de Bonne Aventme A pailO i l o n caii\as 35 X 56 in / 8 9 x 142 c m

T h i s line pair of" pastoral sceiics is based o n

the artist in this case, as this style was so

a f a m o u s series o f ])iclures exeeuted by

])opular. I)ut the skill with which the stairage

Frani^-ois Houeher (1 70:^-1 77(),i w h o was.

a n d drapery are jjainted. a n d the freshness

a l o n g w i d i Fragonai'd. ihe primar\ influence

o f colours is sell-e\idcnl. Di' .\listair l.aing.

o n Freuch 18lh century R o c o c o painting.

the .Xational IVusl's sjjei ialisl in O l d M.ister

H i s softness o f line a n d colour, a n d ihe

])ictures. suggests that this ]jair were painted

c h a r m a n d i m m e d i a c y o f his subject matter

a r o u n d 1800. after the death o f ISoucher.

b e c a m e the yardslick by w hich pastoral

but at a time w h e n his ])opularity was still

I j a i n l i n g a n d decoration was judged. The

\er\ high.

two original |)icttu-es. ])ainted by Houcher in 17!^8. are now lost, but ihi'otigli a suite o f engra\ ings by .Miamet a n d .\\eline called

I.I I l . R A U

Ananoir.

Ri:

F Bimcliey. Paris-Lausanne. 197().

nos. 149 a n d 150.

h s CJmrmes de la \ 'ic Chainjielrc. lhc\ became highly |)()|)ular. .Many other e m i n e n t |5ainters in Houcher's circle, such as I l u e t a n d l,e

.Xnanoir & \\'ikk'nstiMn. Homhcr. 'ihe Cdiii/ilrlc

Prince copied or de\'elo])ed elemeuls from

lloM-.v. M i l a n . 1980. nos. 150 a n d 151.

litis suite. It is diflieuh to suggest the n a m e o f

m

( j c r m a n School

hclwci-n llu- 151a( k ( i r o u s c - '/etrao

urea

aiitl tlic ( ^apcrcaillir - 'letrao I 'roiJallii.sj: ai)ov('

17

'lctri\-

left: ( :a])ci('ailli('. m a l e t'letrao I 'rofiallns)-. above set of

six .sludics

of

(kime

Birds:

Detail o/)/mil(' and lof) Icfl: A \ aricl\- o f cock l)hcasanl (Ptmsianus

Colchuiis):

lop

a n o l l u T \ai ict)- ol' c o c k |)lu'asaiit ('.ohhuusj:

eentrc: A \ a r i c l y o f c o c k ]5licasanl ('letrao I roualliis)

milre: ll'Imsiaiiiis

top right: R a c k c l l i r n (liyhrid

(I'hasiaiius

Colcliuu.s): above riuht: ('a])ci'caillic, Icnialc

Watcrcoldiii' Kacli ]IV . X 12' Mil / 17 X 3 2 c m

Continental School liira l(')9(l

A pair of fine late 17 th century oval fan paintings depicting noblemen and women in an arcadian setting, and a busy market place ( i o u a c h c o n silk I j a c h U) x 14 in / 2 5 . 5 x 3 5 . 5 c m

In o r i g i n a l e l a b o r a t e carNTcl gill\vf)ocl f r a m e s

12

i:;

WW-...Vt-'r'

0-

Joliii

W o o t t o n

l(i!i2-17(i:)

l''l\ in,<r C : h i l c l r r s

beiug rubbed down

at. Xeivmarket: His ownei; 11 'i/liain 2nd Duke of Devonshire and a group of admirers and conneetions looking on ()il o n canx as 4 0 X 5(1 in / 101.5 x 127 ciii In a wood p e r i o d c a r w d a n d g i l d e d l i a n i e .

I'R()\ I.NANCr. B o u g h t f r o m I'awsey a n d P a y n e in 192 1 hy M a r s h a l l Sesxall i:s{|.

i . n i.R.vi I k i ; W a l t e r S h a w S | ) a r r o \ \ . British Sporliun Artists.

1!)22. illustrated i)age 5!!.

The | ) r e s e n l p a i n t i n g w a s i l l u s t r a t e d hy W a l l e r

Shaw Spari'ow in liis seminal liritish S/iortiii<i

Artists as a "good e x a m p l e of t h e W o o t t o n / T i l l e m a n s period", a l t h o u g h h e s e e m s to h a \ e (•om])letely o v e r l o o k e d t h e t r u e s i g n i t i e a n e e of t h e ])ainting. I'he s e e n e r e ] ) r e s e n l e d is I'ar m o r e t h a n a "seene of t h e r u b b i n g dow n h o u s e at X e w m a r k e t " , in t h a t it de]jicts t h e m o s t c e l e b r a t e d h o r s e in early r a c i n g history:

Flyin<; ChUdcrs. h i 1721. t h e D u k e ol' l)e\()nsliire"s Fhinn

ChUders c a r r y i n g !)st 21bs r a n a trial a g a i n s t Ahnmizor (son of the Darin Arabian) and the D u k e o f Riitland"s Brou n Billy (a d a u g h t e r of Basto) o v e r t h e r o u n d c o u r s e at . \ e w m a r k e t : '.') miles, (i f u r l o n g s , a n d

\ a r d s in (i m i n u t e s

4 0 s e c o n d s , his b e a t e n o p | ) o n e n t s c a r r \ ing fist 21l)s. In this race, h e is said t o h a v e inoNcd ('{2.5 l e d in a s e c o n d ol t i m e , w i n c h is close o n a mile a m i n u t e . Whilst m o d e r n s c h o l a r s h i p suggests that this is o x c r s t a l i n g t h e case (due. n o d o u b t , to i n a d c ( | n a t c t i m i n g t e d i n o l o g y at t h e time) h e is g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d to b e t h e liistest h o r s e whi( h has e \ c r i tin.

• p a i n t i n g s h o w s (Jiililns b e i n g r u b b e d d o w n a m i d s t s o m e o t h e r s of t h e D u k e ' s s t r i n g ol r a c e l i o i s e s (a l a m o u s print siiows h e kept a siring oi twcntN o r m o r e h o r s e s in t r a i n i n g at .Newmarket). I h e ( i r e \ o n t h e right ol t h e i ()ni|)osition w c a i s t h e D u k e ' s I J u i l - t r i n i n i e d w i t h - b l u c liM i'X b l a n k e t , u n d e r his r a c i n g

15

s a d d l f . inclit a l i n g llial h e is l)cing p r c p a r e c l

J o h n W b o t t o n is t h e m o s t d i s t i n g u i s h e d of

lor a i r a i n i n g r i m .

t h e early E n g l i s h s c h o o l of s])()rting p a i n t e r s .

' f o r fifty \ e a r s t h e h o r s e p a i n t e r lor t h e

H i s w o r k w a s d i r e c t l y i n l l i i e n c e d by t h e

aristocracy." A | ) a r t f r o m his s j j o r t i n g jjaintings.

Fl)iii<i (Mdcrs w a s b r e d l)y Lcoiiarci (lliiklors ol'

c o n t i n e n t a l m a s t e r s 'l i l l e m a n s a n d W'yck,

W b o t t o n w a s also o n e of t h e p r i m e c r e a t o r s of

Dirtioiinry of British IHth ( '.cntun I'aiiilers. h e w as

( l a r r H o u s e n e a r I )oiu astci; a n d sold w h e n

u p o n w h o m his early style m u c h d e p e n d s . H e

t h e I'-iiglish landsca])e. a n d \ irtuall\- c o r n e i e d

youim; t o llic D u k e ol' Dt-xonshire. H e w a s

is t h e lirst artist to gi\'e ns a \ isual r e c o r d of

t h e m a r k e t in his early c a r e e r loi- b a t t l e

I ' o a k ' d in 171."). irot by llic Ihilcr Arahiaii out of

t h e e a i l y d a y s of t h e h u n t a n d t h e tuii', a n d

picttu'es soften f e a t u r i n g t h e D u k e of

Bcltr Imk\.

his w o r k w a s i m m e n s e h jj()|)ular w i t h his

M a r l b o i ' o u g h . a n o t h e r p a t r o n at B l e n h e i m ) of

by Old (,'tnr/rw !a son of S/)fiiik)'r) oiil

ol a sislcr to Lrdcs etc. His <|uality w a s so ajood.

d i s t i n g u i s h e d clientele. W b o t t o n w a s b o r n at

t h e W a r ol t h e S | ) a n i s h .Succession. I his

that t h e r e w e r e almost n o takers to c h a l l e n g e

S n i t t e r l i e l d in W a r w i c k s h i r e a n d m a n y of his

| ) a i n t i n g m a y b e d a t e d to t h e early 1 72()"s o n stylistic g r o u n d s , w h e r e W b o t t o n ' s I'lemish

h i m in a niateli in th<' \'ears I 7'21-3 w h e n h e

m o s t i m ] ) o r t a n t w o r k s a r e to b e f o u n d in t h e

r a n . H e w a s retired to the D u k e ' s ])ri\ate sttid.

laiglish m i d l a n d shires, at s u c h h o u s e s as

iiillueiices c a n b e cleai ly s e e n in t h e t i g h t n e s s

d y i n g t h e r e in 1711. ha\ i n g siicd liis last l()al

l . o n g l e a t . I5erkele\- C a s t l e , a n d B a d n i i i i t o n .

of his style. H i s latei' w o i k is b r o a d e r a n d

( M r C o r n w aH's \y.\\ .Xc.sloii/f) in 1 740.

. \ s Sir I'.llis W'aterliouse p o i n t s o u t in his

s o m e t i m e s less r e l i n e d .

H)

'5?S -

if

i'

James Seymour I7()2-17:)2 S('(ll)ur\- led hy a

(irooiii

Siiiiu-d ()il oil cain as 2.") \ :)(! in / ();>..') \ 7() cm 111 original carvcd and gilded woiid liamc

l'R()\ i:\.\X(:i.: I lcnr\ Wnci. XcwIa I lall. \()rksliiri' una I (")7(l; and diciirr 1)\ descent.

James Seymour was ihe son of a l)anker wlio was a friend ol' hotii Sir I'eler l-ely and Sii' (:in isto])iier Wren, and w as i)orn to a life of some opulence. Loss ol' family lorUine. lio\\ t'\'er. i (instraiiied Seymour lo the life ol a |)rolessional painler. Here, his fadier's coniu'etions w idi such laniilies as dieJolliHes ((ioxcriiors of llie IJank of i'aitiland) ,s>a\e liim an entree to some of the wealthiest patrons, l or them he executed miinerous s|)orlini; |)aintin<;s. most olten ol the tm l. although his masterpiece .1 hill a! A Mon-n I'(trk 'l ate (ialler\ ) is a lumtinn piece.

Seymour is the yreat "primitive" painter of the ])eiiod and it is his obsession with miiuilely ol)ser\cd detail \\hilsl retaiiiins; the innoient eye for composition whi( h is his hallmark and has endeared him to ucneratioiis of collectors.

Sri/hiiij WAS l)a\ racehorse foaled in I 7:! I which eiiioNcd a considerahic success on the later at stud.

17

J o h n William Waterhousc RA 1849-1917

Flora

and the

^ephyrs

Signed a n d d a t e d } W'aterhouse 1897 Oil on ean\ as 4 4 X 81 in / 112 X 2()(i em i'R()\ENA\(:i-: ( i e o r g c MeCkilloch, to his d e a t h in 1907; his daughter, M a r y MeCliilloeh: Christie's. MeClulloeh Sale, 23-30 M a y 1913. lot 92 (bought 1-jnile M e r t o n for 78,') guineas); I'-niile M e r l o n ' s daughter, Vivien M e r t o n . a n d theiiee by direet deseent to the ])reseiit owner.

KXIIIBITKI) L o n d o n , Royal .'Veadeniy. 1898, no. ()4; L o n d o n , Royal .\eadeniy. Winter ExhihUion, 1909. no. 6(). i.m:R.vnRi; 'The Tunes. 14 M a y 1898, ]). 16; Spectator. 1898, p. 694; .Uhenaeum, 1898, j). 572; Art Journal, 1898, pp. 174-6; Magazine of Art, 1898, p. 465; Art Journal, Clhristnias N u m b e r , 1909, ])p. 18, 21, 23, a n d illustrated in eolour op|)osite p. 10; A n t h o n y H o b s o n , The Art and Life of J IC Waterhouse, R.A., 1849-1917,

L o n d o n , 1980,

])]). 104-5, 147, pi. 72, eat. no. 120; (Christopher W o o d , Olympian Dreamers, L o n d o n , 1983, p. 235; .•\nthony H o b s o n , , / H ' Waterhouse. ( ) x l o r d , 1989. ])]). 64-70.

48

1!)

Flora and the ^ephyrs shows llic nioiiu-iU u i i c n

])r<)duce(l \ arioiis o f his most R o m a n t i c

Z('])hyr, god ol' tlic wiiul. first sets eyes upon

works during the s e c o n d h a l f o f the Ifi9()"s.

I'lora face uncertain fates, a n d it is this sense

a n d falls in l()\c witii I'lora as she gathers

Flora and Ihc ^eplirrs. o f I ! i 9 7 . w as f()llowcd

o f ])sychological inimitieiice - causing the s|)eetator to search for clues as to the

c o m m o t i o n o f their flight. B o t h Hylas a n d

liowers in the fields with her m a i d e n s a n d

after o n e year by J/rlas

children. H e flies down to her, a c c o m p a n i e d

(.Manchester (lity .Art (iaileries) which is

by his w inged eom|)anions. a n d c a p t u r e s lii-r

])(•! ha])s his most a d m i r e d a n d best known

|)aintings a m o n g the m a s t e r p i e c e s o f l!)lh

by casting a garland o f white flowers a r o u n d

])ainting. 15olh Hylas a n d I'lora were figtiics

c e n t u i y Symbolist art.

and llw .\'rni/)li.\

d r a m a t i c o u t c o m e - which places both

her. The ])ainting takes its subject from

of tem|)ting bcautx; I he f o r m e r is seen as

Ox id's l-'asli. w h i d i is a \ er.se c h r o n i c l e o f the

the nym|)hs draw a r o u n d him. e n t i c i n g him

R o m a n calendar, a n d w hich i n e o r p o r a l e s

into theii' midst so that they might draw him

R o ) a l . \ c a d e m y in b'!!)!! w ith . l/vWwr'priv ate

the mythologies a n d historical legends o f

b e n e a t h the stirfaee o f their lily |)ond. while

collection), i wo \eai s later W a t e r h o n s e

R o m e where ihey c a n be associated w ith

I'lora looks upwards with a m i x t i u c o f

showed '/hi' Awakaiinsi

specifii' times o f the year. W a t e r h o u s e . w h o

a l a r m a n d e x c i t e m e n t as the Z e p h y r s fill the

the m a i n protagonist seems hai'dK a w a i e o f

was elected a full .Academician in IJi!)"),

b r a n c h e s o f the gro\e o f bay trees w ith the

the unl()lding d i a m a .

Flora and Ihr ^cplirrs was exhibited at the

()f Adoni\. \\ here again

'I'lu- critical responses to Flora arc intcrcstiiio'.

Ill the first instance, the painting w a s ])raiscti lor its teclinical (nialities and as containing the essentia! elements ol" Waterhoiise's distinctive style. The Athenaeum found it 'a subject eminently suited to the m o d e of art that M r J \V \Vaterli()iise always affects. It has alFordcd itiin an o])])ortuiiity of de])icting witli exceptional brilliancy a n d sjjlendoiir of colour a n u m b e r of d r e a m y figures, such as that of the goddess. Indeed, her beautiful features are better ])ainted. un(|uestioiiably, than anything he has done l)efbre of the same sort." 'ihe 'Iimes, likewise, ap])r()\-ed it as 'a delightful ]3rescnlation of (the artist's) f'a\'ourite colour scheme, ... (of wliich), as it is

by M r Waterliouse we need hardly sa\' that the (lecoratixe element is cons])iciious, and that the lines of the coni])osition m a k e a ])attern c h a r m i n g in all resjjccls." O f those w h o res])onded to the ])aintiiig in Ifi9fi, '[he limes critic seems to ha\e been most alert to its jjsychological nuances, referring to die sense of sexual submission on the ])art of f l o r a , for, while her com|)anions "are innocently gathering flowers, a n d their action shows that they feel the breath of s])ring winds, F l o r a alone does m o r e than feel: to her is re\ealed the presence of the y o u n g god of the wind and of his c o m p a n i o n s w h o c o m e floating through the trees, and, as / e ] ) h y r casts a girdle of roses round her f o r m and jiresses his li|)s u])on her a r m , her eyes declare that she is suddenly conscious of a mystery uiirevealed till n(n\. f h e contrast between the conscious f l o r a and her unconscious maidens is what takes the ])icture out of the merely dccoi atixe class'. In connection with Flora, the Art Ji)uriial declared: 'His art is to conceiitratc liimsell on the ])ulse of the myth, and make his whole |)ictinc ihrob in unison.'

W'aterhouse's re-iiiter])retalioii of the classical d r e a m idiom w as dis( usscd by v arious critics, including that of 'Flu '/imr.\. w h o found that the |)ainting was one "w hich tells its slory \('r\ |)ei fectl\ and is liaiikK in\ thological without being hlerar\." IhrAthniaeuni

slated

that the artist 'had not looked al his i h e m e from ihe staiid|)oiiu of ancient art' but lhat the p a i n l i i i g w a s instead indcbled to Renaissance prolot\])es: ' \ o t only in the

faces a n d atlitiicles, hut in tlic general

f o r m : the natui al beauty of Flora and her

handling of the subject, lie has clearly

train convinces us of iheir e.xistence, and

ado])led the point of \'iew of a designer of

that were w e as fortunate as the painter. \\c

the early Renaissance, nol (iiiile free from

too migiit ha\-e seen this g r o w . T o |)aiiu thus

(iolliie influences, such, for instance, as

is lo e a r i y out the s])ii it of the early

those of Boiiicelli. whose Allci^ory 0/ Spriiis^

Renaissance m o i e truly than lo construct a

will he suggested hy M r W'alerhoiise's latest

sham ])rimiti\ eness. W h y should SIK h

work". T h e s a m e issue w a s ex])l()red in the

ex(|uisite natural beauty as (hat of the

Speclalar. the critic of which lotmd Flora "a

central figure and of the little child running

work of ])urc delight", hut w h o drew the

()\-er the grass he sacrificed.' W o e b e g o n e

conclusion that "so delicate an idyll cannot

]jeo])le we t(to often see in ideal pictures. ...

he desciihed. il must he seen". Il w a s the

M r W'aterhouse ... has the secret of lyrii

critic's duty to 'poinl out how right the ai tist

c h a r m , and knows soniethiug of m e a d o w s

11; arc !J,ral(fiil to Cluislophcr. \nc(ill for his help in

is in ax'oiding all archaic alfcctations of

which the \ e n e l i a n s lo\cd."

rnhiloffii)!^ this paiiiliiio

52

54

J o h n Atkinson Grimshavv 183(i-1893

Greenock Harbour at Mght Signed and dated 1893 0 1 1 o n can\ as 12 X 18 in / 3 0 . 5 x 4 5 . ' ) c m

r i u ' ])ainlint!;.s o f this L e e d s artist a r e well k n o w n a n d l o w d . p a r t i c u l a r l y in the n o r t h o f K n g l a n d w h e r e h e did so m u c h o f his work.

T h e 18()()'s a n d 187()"s a r e often c o n s i d e r e d his most c r e a t i x e a n d f o r m a t i x e years, htil it is liis d o c k s c e n e s o f L i x e r j i o o l a n d t h e a r e a a r o u n d ( i l a s g o w - w h i c h h e b e g a n ]3aintino in the 188()'s - that a r e ])erha])s. for most |)eo])le. the (|ninlessential ( J r i m s h a w .

( i r e e n o c k H a r b o u r , o n t h e Firth o f CMyde. was, like ( i l a s g o w , a rich a n d j i r o s p e r o u s a r e a in t h e l!)lh c e n t u r y a n d as with his Li\er|)ool \ iews, ( i r i n i s h a w ] ) r o d u c e d se\eral x e r s i o n s o f t h e s e p i c t u r e s to satisfy the s t r o n g d e m a n d for t h e m f r o m local I n i s i n e s s m e n .

A s was typical o f this ])eriod, Harbour

(ireemnk

at .Xitiht c a p t u r e s t h e r a t h e r d a m ] )

a n d m a r i t i m e a t m o s j j h e r e o f the n o r t h e r n p o r t ; the r o w o f gas-lit s h o p s c a s t i n g t h e i r r a d i a n c e o n t o tlie wet r o a d a n d ])a\'ement, a n d the t a n g l e o f ships" masts a n d rigging d r a w i n g otir a t t e n t i o n to the w a t e r o n the left. This p a i n t i n g is a s u p e r b e x a m ] ) l e o f this c e l e b r a t e d ])hase in ( i r i m s h a w ' s career.

John Atkinson Grimshaw

1 i

1836-1893

ft" ••

Newlay Wood, Leeds S i g n e d ; also signed, inscribed a n d d a t e d 1861 on reverse

V

11 X 15 in / 2 8 X 3 8 c m

date from 1861, the y e a r in w h i c h h e p a i n t e d this exquisitely d e t a i l e d still-lile n a t u r e study of N e w l a y W o o d . T h e p a i n s t a k i n g w a y in which he has d e p i c t e d the detail of the rocks a n d ferns, the richness of colotu' a n d luminosity - usually a c h i e \ c d by j s a i n l i n g onto a wet w h i l e g r o u n d - both

strongly suggest the i n f l u e n c e of the PreRaphaehte Brotherhood.

T h e in.s])iration for this a n d o t h e r n a t u r e studies of this d a t e p r o b a b l y c a m e f r o m w l i e n G r i m s h a w a n d his wife, I'anny, used to w a l k from the town c e n t r e in L e e d s a l o n g the M e a n w o o d Valley to A d e l , p i c k i n g u p mossco\'ered stones, lea\es, twigs, flowers a n d feathers to take h o m e a n d a r r a n g e in the studio to paint. At this point in his v e r y e a r l y career, like the F r e - R a p h a e l i t e s , ( i r i m s h a w seldom p r o d u c e d ] ) r e l i n i h i a r y studies for his ])iclures, nor w o u l d h e ha\ e w o r k e d out of doors (although one of his sur\'i\ ing sketchbooks - now in the L e e d s C^ity .'\rt ( i a l l e r y - contains a study w h i c h shows that he did take on-the-s])ot notes for u.se in linished ]5aintings). ( i r i m s h a w ' s early slill-lifes w e r e ])robably inneh influenced by W i l l i a m H e n r y I h u i t . w h o w a s w i d e h knovs n lor his d e t a i l e d birds" iiesls in the y e a r s b e t w e e n 18()1 a n d 18()3, after which he b e g a n |)ainling landsea])es. ( i r i i n s h a w would ha\'e l e a r n e d of llie PreR a p h a e l i t e s through fellow L e e d s artist William Inchbold. Inehbolcfs c o n n e c t i o n with the Hrothei'hood, p a r t i c u l a r l y with Rosselli, a n d also Ruskin from a r o u n d 1834. would ha\e m a d e him i d e a l l y well ])laced to c o m n u i n i e a t e iheir ideas.

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Atkinson Grimshaw 1836-1893

The (Cradle Song Signed and dated 1876 Also inscribed on re\ erse The Cradle Song.

Alkinsoii (irimshaw. At the Scarborough

Castle-hy-the-Sea,

1878+

O i l on canvas 32'/:!X48 i n / 82.5 X 122 cm

In 1870 (irinishavv ])urchased Knoslr()|3 O l d Hall, a handsome Jacobean mansion just outside Leeds. This was a turning-point in his life, and Knostrop was to remain Grimshaw's real home for the rest of his life.

The family v\ere clearly \ery ha])])y there, and the 187()'s were to be an enormously successful and creatixe jjeriod. I he house itself was lo insjjire many pictures, and it was out of Knostrop that Cirimshaw ex'oK ed one of his classic formulae - the tiioonlit road wilh a house behind a wall.

As well as a painter of moonlight, (irimshaw also produced a handful of interiors, of which The Cradle Song is one of only four that are now known. The others are Diilce Domim, Spring and Summer, all three painted al Knostro]) O l d Hall. These interiors and other similar .scenes depicting (irimshaw's wife Fanny (I-Vances Theodosia) in the garden at Knostro]} owe a great deal in ins])iration lo I'issot.

In about 187.^ (Jrimshaw was ]5ros])erous enough to rent a second house, Gastle-bythe-Sea, on the front at .Scarborough, on the ^brkshire coast. Here he jjainted some of his finest harbour scenes, as well as this elegant interior, 'Ihe Cradle Song. (Jrimshaw is known to ha\'e made extensi\e alteralions lo the house, installing old woodwork, tiles. scul])ture(l reliefs and a studio. Ihe Cradle almost l ertainly de]5iets ihe suidio. The model is .Miss Agnes I.eele, ihe children's go\eniess. (:aslle-by-the-.Sea was lo be a place for enlerlaining. and according lo (irinishaw's daughter I^nid's recollections, (ieorge du .\Iaurier, Hllen Teriy and ] I, Toole were all guests.

Sir E d w a r d Bi.,

Coley

Burnc-Jones

ARA

1833-1898

Katie L'wis S i g n e d w i t h initials a n d insc ril)cd EB-J

to (iBL

D a t e d 1886 on the ]5ainted book Oil on c a n v a s 2 4 x 5 0 in / 6 I x 127 c m 1'R()VI:N'A\C:I, S i r E d w a r d Biii ne-Jones, w l i o ga\e it circa 1897 to S i r G e o r g e L e w i s a n d L a d y Lewis; K a t h e r i n e Lewis, the sitter, a n d t h e n c e by descent to her niece, Elizal)etli W'ansbrough.

KXHIIiiri.l) L o n d o n , ( i r o s v e n o r ( i a l l e r y , 1887. Exlnbition of Works hi Sir Edu ard Burne-Jones, Bt (1H98-9), no. 77.

L o n d o n , T a t e ( i a l i e r y , 1933. Cmleimrr Exhibition of Paintings and Draicings by Sir Edward Biirne-Joni's, Bt (1H23-1H9H), no. 32.

L o n d o n , Hav-ward Gallery, . S o u t h a m p t o n Art ( i a l l e r y a n d B i r m i n g h a m Cuty M u s e u m a n d •Vrt ( J a l l c r y , 197(), Burne-Jones, no. 2 4 0 .

L o n d o n , S o t h e b y ' s , C7iild/wod \odn e x h i b i t i o n , no.273.

I.H KRAI I RK NLalcolm Bell, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, ,1

Record and Review, 1898, ]3.()4.

M a r t i n H a r r i s o n a n d Bill W a t e r s , Burne-Jones, 1973, p l . 3 8 .

Burne-Jones Talking - His Conversations 1895189H Preserved by his Studio Assistant Thomas Rooke. edited by .Mary L a g o . 1981, ])]). l()4-.o. l^ttfrs to Katie from Edivard Biirne-Jones, i n t r o d u c e d by John CMiristian, 1988, r e p r o d u c e d (ig. 3, ]).20.

S i r I'-dward C^oley B u r n e - J o n e s w a s the l e a d e r of the s e c o n d p h a s e of P r e - R a ] ) h a e l i l i s m , the .\esthetii .Moxement, in the s a m e w a y L e i g l u o n w a s l e a d e r of the C l a s s i c a l M ( ) \ e m e n t . H e w a s b o r n in 15irmingham. a n d went to I'^xeter Gollege, O x f o r d , in 18,52, w h e r e he b e c a m e friends w i t h W i l l i a m •Morris. .\t this t i m e lie w i s h e d to b e c o m e a c l e r g y m a n , but w a s so i m p r e s s e d by the w o r k of D a n t e ( i a b r i e l Rossetti that he d e c i d e d to

(iO

()1

J o n e s b e g a n to exhibit instead. Il seems likely

h c c o i n c a painter. H e later b c e a i n e a pupil of

typically earnest mid Victorian moralist

Rossctti w h e n he left O x f o r d .

w h o w a n t e d to i m p i w e the lot of m a n k i n d ,

that B u r n e - J o n e s still o w n e d the ])ainting at

bclie\ ing that this could be achieved

the time a n d that in fact he held o n t o it until

Like (Jeorge Frederick Watts a n d j o i i n

t h r o u g h art. At the e n d of his life, howexcr,

the mid 189()'s, only then |)resenting it to

Ruskin. Burne-Jones greatly a d m i r e d the

he felt a sense of failure a n d

Katie's parents. T h i s at least seems to be

N'enetian School, especially Titian, (iiorgione,

disap])ointnient: art h a d d o n e n o t h i n g to

imjjlied by the t o u c h i n g entry for 19 O c t o b e r

I'intoretto a n d Clarjjaccio. as well as the work

check the s|)read of materialism a n d

1897 in 'L M Rooke's diary account of

of Hotticelli, A n d r e a Xhnitegna. L e o n a r d o

ugliness in the n i n e t e e n t h century.

c o i n e r s a t i o n in Burne-Jones' studio, in which

a n d Michelangelo. H e c o m b i n e d all his

Nonetheless, by the e n d of his career, his

the latter described ( i e o r g e a n d Elizabeth

infliiences - Italianate, Classical, a n d Pre-

work was know n a n d a d m i r e d all o\ er

Lewis' reaction to the painting:

Ra|)haelite - into a iiniciue .style of his own.

E u r o p e - c \ e n in Barcelona, w h e r e the

An i m p o r t a n t de\ c l o p m e n t in his c a r e e r was

y o u n g Picasso a d m i r e d his pictures in the

'Sir ( i Lewis was \ cry ])lcased with his

pages of the Studio magazine.

d a u g h t e r ' s ])orlrait that I sent him the o t h e r day. \ ' o w e d il was exactly like her now. tho" it

his i^artnershi]) in the firm M o r r i s & C^o with William Morris. H e was the firm's most

K a t i e Lewis was b o r n in 1878. the youngest

isn't. For she is a y o u n g lady of 22. a n d w h e n

prolific designer, a n d as a result there was a

d a u g h t e r of B u r n e j o n e s " close friends

il was d o n e she was only a child of 8. H e

continual synthesis b e t w e e n jjainting a n d

( i e o r g e a n d Elizabeth Lewis. A c c o r d i n g to

didn't know whal to d o to t h a n k me. His wife

design in his work. Nearly all his ])iclures

the catalogue of the N e w (iallery

did il c|uilc successfully, but he couldn't. All

h a \ e their origins in designs for s o m e o t h e r

exhibition of 1898-9, the ])resent ]5ortrait

he could d o was to m a k e m e take a w a y as

m e d i u m , eithei' stained glass. ta])estries. tiles,

was ]5ainted over the period 1882-6. a n d

m a n y boxes of cigars as he could lay h a n d s

mosaics, ftn nitinc. books or embroidery.

was therefore b e g u n w h e n Katie Lewis was

on. H e fidgeted a b o u t the r o o m to try a n d

foui' years old. Burne^Jones jjortrays her

find s o m e t h i n g that I would like, a n d

In 1877 the CJroswnor Gallery h a d its

K ing outstretched on a sofa or day bed,

couldn't satisfy him at all. R a t h e r |)alhetic,

i n a u g u r a l exhibition. 'Lhe brainchild of Sir

r e a d i n g a book which is o])en at a ]3age

wasn't it, to see a m a n in that state w h o is the

( l o i u t s Lindsay a n d his wife Blanche, it was

showing illustrations of St ( i e o r g c a n d the

terror of the aristocracy of E n g l a n d a n d

situated in a fine Italianate building on Bond

d r a g o n . She wears a dark green \ e l \ e t

knows e n o u g h to h a n g half t h e Dukes a n d

Street. The gallery was i n t e n d e d to ri\ al the

dress, a n d at h e r feet sits a small dog. The

Duchesses in the k i n g d o m . ' [Burne Jones

Royal A c a d e m y a n d to p r o m o t e the m o r e

entire a r e a of the backgrotnid - including

Inlking, o]) cit, p. 164).

progre.ssi\-e artists of the day, b o t h English

the fabric on the piece of f u r n i t u r e on

a n d I'Airopean. Burne-;Jones was p e r s u a d e d

which she lies, the pillows, a n d the

to exhibit eight paintings, which were all

dra])eries that f o r m the backdro]j to the

Burne-Jones should |)aint Katie - that of h e r

h u n g together on o n e wall. H e b c c a m e

com])ositi()n. even an a])]jle or o r a n g e

p a r e n t s or Burne-;Jones himself - or indeed

It is not clear whose idea it first was that

f a m o u s overnight, a n d the British public

]3laced at the right side of the ])icture - are

in whose house the liainting was i n t e n d e d to

realised that they h a d a genius in their midst.

p a i n t e d in a restricted r a n g e of golden

hang, but its great originality m a y be

In his f a m o u s review of the 1877 exhibition,

colours calculated to set ofT the lustrous

u n d e r s t o o d as the result of the i n d e p e n d e n c e

H e n r y J a m e s singled out B u r n e - J o n e s a n d

dark tones f)f Katie's hair a n d dress.

that Burne-Jones allowed himself w h e n n o

wrote: "In the ])alace of art there a r e m a n y

]3articular ex])ectations were ])laccd on him

c h a m b e r s a n d that of which M r Burne-Jones

Bin ne-Jones" jjortrait of Katie Lewis was

by sitter or ])atr()n. I'he portrait a b a n d o n s

holds the key is a w o n d r o u s museum."

shown at the (Jrosvenor (iallery in 1887. It

the conx'enuons of child ])ortiaiture as they

was not gix'cn a p r o m i n e n t ])osition. being

o p e r a t e d in the Victorian age. eliminating all

His success h a d c o m e late; by 1877 he was

placed in one of the side galleries, ralher

i r a i c of sentimentality oi- |)lay-acting. a n d

already in his mitl-forlies, a n d he always

t h a n the West (Jallery which was the

refusing to p l a i c the child on display Ibi- the

r e m a i n e d s o m e t h i n g of an outsidei'. H e was

])i incipal exhibition space, and Ibr this

delectation of an adult audience. The

elected an Associate of the Royal A c a d e m y

reason il seems to IUIM- been Hide noticed.

portrait is informal, a n d tin- s|)eclalor is

in 1885 but only exhibited there once, a n d

I'his was (he last year llial Burne-Jones

allowed to calch the m o o d of utter

resigned in 1893. H e r e m a i n e d faithful to the

exhibited al ihe (irosN t'iior. In ( ) c t o b e r

a b s o i p l i o n ins])ired b\ the girl's allentioii to

( J r o s w n o r (iallery luilil its closure in 1887.

1887 ihe dis])ule belwceii C Charles Halle

die book.

a n d then transfci red his allegiance to (he

a n d Joseph C o n i y n s (larr. each supporled

.N'ew (iallery in Regent Street.

res]je( ti\ely by Burne-Jones and Sir (loutts

f /lis jminliiiii is lo he im hided in (,'liii.slo/)/ier

Bui ne-Jones b e c a m e a leader of die

Lindsay (the gallery's l<)under a n d

Wood'sJorlheoininfi hook 'Ihe Life and Works of Sir

.Aesthetic M c n e m e n t . but could n e \ e r lotalU'

|jro])rielor) a b o u t how the gallery should be

Edward liurne-Joncs. h ici/l also he included in the

accept its phil()so])hy that ai t existed for ai t's

r u n . c a m e inlo the o|)eii and in due course

Hnrne-Jones een/enarr exhibition at the Metro/wlitan

sake a n d for n o o t h e r piu |)ose. H e was a

ihe .New ( i a l l e r \ was sel u|). where Burne-

Museum in . Veiv iiirk.

62

•

fti

T h o m a s H e n r y VVyatl

Peiu il. ]5en and ink. and walereolour with

]5ri\atc edncation in Brnssels he embarked

1807-1888

louclies o f wiiiU" heigiuenin<>, on three

on a career in c o m m e r c e , but soon

joined sheets

a b a n d o n e d this for architectine and b e c a m e articled to I'hilip Hardwick. I la\ ins^ entered

A riew of the (hiadran^le of the .\ew Liverpool Exchanae

,")(! X 7() in / 127 X 193 em

Sitfiu-cl and inscrihccl '1 Iwmas Hei/rr

KMllUin.l)

1 8 8 0 at 77 (ireat Russell Street. W'yatt was

I'ai is. Exposition I 'niverselle, 1878, pai t 1.

closely associated with the Royal Institute o f

77 (heat Russell Stmi/1Mudon

|)ractised alone from 18.'5l until his death in l\'ra/l/

(on the I'aT'is

llxliihilion label on ihc rcwrsc) and inscrihfd J'iew of /he.Yew Btiildiiiii/Liverpool/

section I. no. 11)8.

Wyatt/Arehileel/

77 (ireat Ru.well S/reel Lmdon (Honorary

British .\rchitects liom its foundation; he was elected to the Council in 1842. b e c a m e

Kxehani^e

11)"'' Henry

partnershi]) with David Brandon in 1838. he

Memher

I'hotnas I l e n i y W'yatt was b o m in

President in 1870, and was awarded the

Roseotnmon. Iicland. the eldest son o f

Royal ( J o l d Medal in 1873. His extensive

of the Ameriean liistitiile of Arehiteets) (And I'a.st

Matthew Wyatt. a police magistrate. His

])ractice was mainly dexoted to the building

firesideiit of the Royal Institnte of British Arehiteets)

cousins were the distins^nished architects,

and restoration o f churches, |)rincipalK in

(on an old label on re\-erse)

Samuel, Benjamin and James W'yatt. .M'ter a

Wiltshire, but amongst his notable secular

()5

c o i n m i s s i o n s w e r e Kiii,<>litsl)ri(ls>;c- Barrac ks

k n o w n as I'Vench R e n a i s s a n c e . t h e \

(187fi-9) a n d t h e s o u t l u T i i ])art of t h e

c o n t a i n e d t w o h u n d r e d a n d lil'ty |)iil)lic atul

15roin])t()ii H()s])ital. I ' u l l i a m R o a d . L o n d o n

p r i \ a t e ollices, as well as a n e w s r o o m a n d

1879-1882).

stock e x c h a n g e . Little ex])ense w a s s p a r e d in

W'yall's Mxchangc Hnildinsrs in Lixcrjjool.

•Scottish g r a n i t e , m a r b l e ])edestals a n d c a r x c d

Iniill Ix-twccn 1 8 ( ) 3 a n ( l 18()7. i'('|)lac('d

stonework liom C a e n abounded.

earlier bnildings o n t h e s a m e site. |)rol)al)ly

biiildings also c o n t a i n e d a novel in\'ention

e r e c t e d by his k i n s m a n J a m e s W'yatt. oi' John

k n o w n as a iil't'. T h c x ' w e r e rebuilt b\

I'oster t h e elder, in 18()!?-9. I'hey s n r r o n n d e d

( i t i n t o n & ( a i n t o n in 1937.

littinsr o n t t h e interior; ]5ilasters of red Tiie

o n t h r e e sides a n a r e a k n o w n as t h e Flails: in t h e c e n t r e of t h e Fourth side s t o o d a

II(' arciiraUjul to F.ilirii !larri.s for her help in

m o n t i m e n l to .Nelson. Built in a s t \ l e t h e n

latakmuni!

(i(i

this n akrcoloiir.

if

Andrew Nicholl

Hell'ast a n d a n a m a t e u r artist. Both brothers

work ol

1804-1888

were f o n n d e r m e m b e r s oC the Belfast

inlluence t h r o n g h o n t his career.

rnrner. w h o was to ha\e a m a j o r

Association o f .Xitists in 183(j. Bell'ast at this

Bank of (srnftowers. Daisies, Poppies and olher flowers

t i m e b e i n g not only a thrix ing industrial city l)iit also an intellectual a n d artistic centre.

T h e lirst m e n t i o n o f his llower paintings is in a sonnet written in 1830 by I'.merson's sister. Eliza, on recci\ ing "a beautiful

A |);iir

.Xicholl's work falls into two categories. His

coloured d r a w i n g o f llowers from .Xicholl".

Pen. l)l;u k ink a n d wali'icoloui'

landsca]jes are loose a n d a t m o s p h e r i c a n d

These llower paintings are usually c o m p o s e d

10'/, X 17'/' in / 2() X 1 l.f) c m

this style was de\elo|)ed d i i r i n g a \ isit to

with wild llowers - mostly ])0])])ies.

L o n d o n m a d e u n d e r the ])atronage o f Sir

cornllowers a n d daisies - in the foreground,

James E m e r s o n

a n d a landscape seen b e h i n d or t h r o u g h

I'ennent (a leading ligiire in

AikIt'cvv N i c h o l l was the son ol' a hoot a n d

the 1798 rebellion). H e m a d e m a n y \ isits to

t h e m . The llowers are often imaginatixely

slioc m a k e r a n d a])])cai s to h a w been totally

the D n l w i c h ( i a l l e r y a n d saw wf)rks by

coloured, with blue ])o])])ies as well as red.

scH'-tauRht. thoiigli cnconras^cd by his elder

(aiy]), de W i n t a n d (Copley I'iclding. It was

brother. W i l l i a m , w h o was in l)iisiness in

at this t i m e that he w o u l d also ha\e seen the

(i8

Robert Barnes

R o b e r t liarne.s e x h i b i l e d at the Royal

11.1873-l!i!):5

.\eadeiny belwi-en 1 8 7 3 - 9 3 , a n d also at the R . \ a n d O W S . His |)aintiiiss al the

.1 Mcrrv-do-Round

on the Ice

Siirnrd a n d (lalcd A'. I'xirm's IfUtn

R . \ inehided stieh works as Lil/k hiily Boiiiilifiil Sums

11J!73) a n d Mrjusike

Ilawkbi.s

rp

Pciiril. wau rcdloiir willi niim a r a b l e a n d s c i a u liinu oiil

i'lte ontstaiKliim (|nality ol' this w a t e r e o l o n r shows jnst how well N'ielori.in

1.. X

ill / 31.,') \ .')7 c m

artists eoiild adapt the medinni o f watereolotir to a n a r r a t i x f stibjei t. It must

I.MIllU

I 1.1)

L o n d o n . Royal S o i icly o f I'aintcrs in W a l c i v o l o u r s IfiSH. no. :i()!)

70

eoimt as o n e o f the most deli^hthil \ ietorian skatin<> scenes so lar known.

E m m a n u e l Stockier 1.'!!!)-11!!):! hi CJuunhre dii Roi a \ersaillcs

Sii^ncd W'aUTcoloiir I 7 I \ 2!i' ' in / If).,") x ,')!).5 cm 71

Index

Page

Artist

Date

Painting

Robert Bai iics

F1 1873-1893

A Merry-(k)-Round on the Ice

Sir r.clwarcl Colcy Bunie-Jones

1833-1898

Katie

C:()iitinemal School

CArca

Oval Fan Paintini^s (A jiair)

Jolianii Baptist Drcchslcr

175(i-1811

Still Life of Fruit and Flowers on a Stone h'dge

Freneii School ajier lioiicher

C:ma 1800

Fontaine de L'Amour and JJ' I 'ieux Diseur de Bonne Aventure (A pair)

38-39

(iermaii School

Cma 1 740

.4 set of six studies of Game Birds

40-41

Jan Ciriflier The Elder

1645-1718

.4 panoramic view of (ireenwich. the City of

1(390

70

IM'LS

60-63

42-43

Imdon

6-7

12-13

and the Isle of Doas beyond John Atkinson (irinishaw

1830-1893

(keenock Harbour

54-55

.\ewlay Wood

56-57

I he Cradle Song

58-59

8-9

Haarlem School

Cirea 1650

Two Rabbits in a iMudscape

(iawen Hamilton

1697-1737

The Du (iane/Bohem Family Conversation (iroup

25-36

.\hiry Moser

1744-1819

Still Lifes of Flowers (A pain

14-15

Andrew Nicholl

1804-1888

Ban/i of Cornflowers, Daisies, Poppies and otherflowers (A pair)

68-69

Jose]jh Xickolls

F1 1731-1748

View of Old Horse Cuards Parade, with elegant figures

20-21

promenading, with a view through to Inigo Jones' Banqueting House in [ 1 'hitehall

22-24

(;io\anni Paolo Pannini

1691/2-1765

Architectural Capriccio of the ruins of aruient Rome with figures

Jean-Louis Prexost

1760-1810

Still Life of Roses in a Glass 1'aseon a Stone h'dge.

37

James Seymotn-

1702-1752

Sedbui y Ud by a Groom

47

John Rubens Smith

1775-1849

-1 scene from Oliver Goldsmith's 'The Vicar of Wakelield

I'.mmanuel Stockier

1819-1893

I/I Chambre du Roi a Versailles

71

Ste])hen Taylor

1-1 1817-1849

. 1 Portrait of a Fox at the edge <f a 11 ood

H

(:hai les Towne

1763-1810

1 he Master oj the Holcombe Harriers riding a duii horse ill a

10-1

18-19

river landscape, his hounds by his side.

17

Manin Theodore Ward

1799-1874

Portrait if a Dog in a iMiidscape

John William Waterhonse

1819-1917

Flora and the ,~ephyrs

18-53

John Woollon

1()82-I7(i5

I 'K ing (4iilders being rubbed down at .\ewmarket amongst a

H-4()

crowd of connections and admirers Thomas 1 lenry Wyalt

1807-1888

. 1 View I f f the (huidrangle of the. \cw Liverpool Fxchaiige

(i4-(i7