2015 · Maastricht TEFAF: the European Fine Art Fair 13–22 March 2015 LONDON MASTERPIECE LONDON 25 June–1 July 2015 London LONDON ART WEEK 3–10 July 2015
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LOWELL LIBSON LTD 2 015 • New York · annual exhibition British Art: Recent Acquisitions at Stellan Holm · 1018 Madison Avenue 23–31 January 2015 · Maastricht TEFAF: The European Fine Art Fair 13–22 March 2015 LONDON MASTERPIECE LONDON 25 June–1 July 2015 London LONDON ART WEEK 3–10 July 2015 [ B ] LOWELL LIBSON LTD 2 015 • INDEX OF ARTISTS George Barret 46 Sir George Beaumont 86 William Blake 64 John Bratby 140 3 Clifford Street · Londonw1s 2lf John Constable 90 Telephone: +44 (0)20 7734 8686 John Singleton Copley 39 Fax: +44 (0)20 7734 9997 Email: [email protected] John Robert Cozens 28, 31 Website: www.lowell-libson.com John Cranch 74 John Flaxman 60 The gallery is open by appointment, Monday to Friday The entrance is in Old Burlington Street Edward Onslow Ford 138 Thomas Gainsborough 14 Lowell Libson [email protected] Daniel Gardner 24 Deborah Greenhalgh [email protected] Thomas Girtin 70 Jonny Yarker [email protected] Hugh Douglas Hamilton 44 Cressida St Aubyn [email protected] Sir Frank Holl 136 Thomas Jones 34 Sir Edwin Landseer 112 Published by Lowell Libson Limited 2015 Richard James Lane 108 Text and publication © Lowell Libson Limited Sir Thomas Lawrence 58, 80 All rights reserved ISBN 978 0 9929096 0 4 Daniel Maclise 106, 110 Designed and typeset in Dante by Dalrymple Samuel Palmer 96, 126 Photography by Rodney Todd-White & Son Ltd Arthur Pond 8 Colour reproduction by Altaimage Printed in Belgium by Albe De Coker Sir Joshua Reynolds 18 Cover: a sheet of 18th-century Italian George Richmond 114 paste paper (collection: Lowell Libson) George Romney 36 Frontispiece: detail from Thomas Rowlandson 52 William Turner of Oxford 1782–1862 The Sands at Barmouth, North Wales Simeon Solomon 130 see pages 116–119 Francis Towne 48 Overleaf: detail from William Turner of Oxford 116 John Robert Cozens 1752–1799, An Alpine Landscape, near Grindelwald, Switzerland J.M.W. Turner 56, 120 see pages 31–33 James Ward 77 FOREWORD This catalogue of our recent acquisitions is certainly Landscape art is very strongly represented, aside of the Palmer, longer than its predecessors and, to my mind, it is also unquestionably by impressive and beautiful examples of the work of Gainsborough, richer in its contents. We have been fortunate in being able to gather Jones, Cozens, Constable and Turner. The very large Constable oil together some exceptional works of great beauty, extreme rarity and study of 1816 is here published for the first time by Anne Lyles and historical importance, a number of which have emerged onto the it has been fascinating to spend time with it during the run of the market after long periods of obscurity. Victoria & Albert Museum’s beautiful Constable exhibition. Likewise, It is a great privilege to be able to offer extraordinary paintings by the Late Turner show at Tate has further illuminated for me the both William Blake and Samuel Palmer. The beguiling tempera of The remarkable fluency of our hugely accomplished and captivating 1836 Virgin hushing the infant John the Baptist of 1799 is one of Blake’s best plein air watercolour of the Alps near Chambéry. I am very grateful preserved paintings and was possibly the first work by the artist to to William Vaughan, Anne Lyles and Ian Warrell who have written enter a North American collection. It is serendipitous to be able to fascinating catalogue entries on the Palmer, Constable and Turner. show it with Palmer’s wonderful Landscape – Twilight of c.1830. This I have always been fascinated by the history of the art trade and luminous Shoreham period work is perhaps Palmer’s most beautiful we have been fortunate in acquiring two compelling portraits of oil and has remained, uncleaned and in the same family collection the greatest of nineteenth-century art dealers. Sir William Agnew, since about 1890. hugely charismatic and perspicacious, transformed the international Another remarkable re-emergence is Joshua Reynolds’s emotionally art market in the late nineteenth century and his portraits by Frank charged Dionysius Areopagite. This painting, only known to art histo- Holl and Edward Onslow Ford give a real sense of the astuteness, rians on the basis of a rare print, shows Reynolds at his most serious determination and good humour that propelled him to pre-eminence and painterly at the moment when he was trying to shape a new and in his profession. elevated British School of painting as first President of the recently We always seem to include one work that many might think of formed Royal Academy. The model for this ‘Disciple of St Paul’ was being uncharacteristic of our usual interests. This year that accolade George White, a street mender, and here we see Reynolds looking will probably be given to the large and masterly drawing of the late towards Rembrandt for guidance. 1950s by John Bratby. This is a drawing that I have admired for over As usual we have gathered an interesting group of portraits, the twenty years and which I believe absolutely encapsulates that moment earliest of which is a fascinating 1730s pastel by Arthur Pond of a of rebellion and reinvention in post-war society. female amateur artist at her easel. Pastels are further represented by I am deeply indebted to my colleagues on very many fronts. Jonny lovely and characteristic examples by Gardner and Hamilton. Copley’s Yarker is entirely responsible for the catalogue entries (other than the most elaborate drawing; a study for the important group of the three mentioned above) and has coped well with my frequent well- Pepperrell family was acquired by us from a descendant of the artist meant suggestions. The excellence of the notes bear testament to and although recently sold, we include it here. A complex and master- his many talents. Jonny’s remarkable knowledge, keen curiosity and ly drawing by Rowlandson comprising a compendium of heads of his excellent eye continue to amaze and he has made a significant contri- favourite ‘types’ and the most impressive of Romney’s studies for his bution to the business since he joined us two years ago. As usual, masterpiece of the Gower Children round off the eighteenth century. Laurence Allan has been responsible for the high standard of fram- Nineteenth-century portraiture is represented by an interesting ing and the hanging of our various shows. Deborah Greenhalgh and group of drawings, which came to us individually by chance over the Cressida St Aubyn, who has recently joined us, are a back-up duo of year, depicting the quartet of Queen Victoria, Talleyrand, Paganini incomparable efficiency and tremendous good humour and they keep and Chopin. The undoubted star of our portrait drawings this year the entire show on the road. is Sir Thomas Lawrence’s superb drawing of the Wellesley-Pole We all hope to see our many friends over the coming year either sisters. Executed in 1814, almost certainly at the behest of the Duke of at the gallery in London or when we are exhibiting in New York and Wellington, the girls’ uncle, this drawing is perhaps the most sophisti- at Maastricht. cated and elaborate of his career. Lowell Libson [ 7 ] ARTHUR POND 1701–1758 An Amateur Pastellist at her Easel Pastel The present portrait is a rare image of a author, and art theorist, whose books were 25 x 20 inches · 640 x 508 mm female pastellist at work executed during published by John and Paul Knapton. Pond Drawn c.1737 the early eighteenth century. Comparable to began his career as a portrait painter in oil, In the original Japanned frame the portrait of the amateur draughtswoman but rapidly diversified into print making and Rhoda Delaval, also by Arthur Pond in the art dealing. His surviving journal reveals National Portrait Gallery, it probably shows the networks of his patronage and the full an aristocratic amateur at work. During the range of activities he was involved in by 1734, 1730s and 1740s pastel or ‘crayons’ became which included a burgeoning career as a a hugely popular medium amongst an inti- pastel portraitist. mate circle of patrician women, and Pond, Pastel portraiture became fashionable who was already by this date a successful during the 1730s. The engraver and antiquar- portraitist in the medium, became the ian recorded in his notebooks: most fashionable tutor in London. Whilst Crayon painting has met with so much encour- the sitter of the present portrait cannot be agement of late years here. that several Painters identified with total certainty a number of those that had been in Italy to study, as Knapton circumstantial clues point towards Lady Pond Hoare &c for the practice of painting in Helena Perceval (1714–1746), the daughter of Oyl. found at their return that they could not the Anglo-Irish statesman and intellectual make any extraordinary matter of it, turned John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont, who was to painting in Crayons and several made great a talented draughtswoman and is recorded advantage of it. It looking pleasant and coverd sitting to Pond in 1737.1 Whilst this identifica- with a glass large Gold Frames was much tion may not be entirely secure, the present commended. for novelty.2 compelling portrait stands as a representa- Arthur Pond returned from his Grand tion of a highly significant moment of Tour in 1727 and rapidly established himself female, amateur creativity in a circle of as a pastel portraitist of some celebrity. As aristocratic friends with court connections Louise Lippincott has pointed out, from 1734 either to George II and Queen Caroline or to 1737 Pond’s annual income rose rapidly Frederick and Augusta, Prince and Princess with profits amounting to £280 in 1738.3 This of Wales.