14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 1 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BRITISH DRAWINGS AND WATERCOLOURS 2010 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 2 Guy Peppiatt started his working life at Dulwich Picture Gallery before joining Sotheby’s British Pictures department in 1993. He soon specialised in early British drawings and watercolours and took over the running of Sotheby’s Topographical and Travel sales. Topographical views, whether they be of Britain or worldwide, have remained an abiding passion. Guy left Sotheby’s in early 2004 and has worked as a dealer since then, first based at home, and now in his gallery on Mason’s Yard, St James’s, shared with the Old Master and European Drawings dealer Stephen Ongpin. He advises clients and museums on their collections, buys and sells on their behalf and can provide insurance valuations. 2 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 3 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BRITISH DRAWINGS AND WATERCOLOURS 2010 Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm Weekends and evenings by appointment Guy Peppiatt Fine Art Ltd Riverwide House, 6 Mason’s Yard Duke Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6BU Tel: [+44] (20) 7930 3839 Mobile: [+44] (0) 7956 968284 Fax: [+44] (20) 7839 1504 [email protected] www.peppiattfineart.co.uk 3 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 4 1 John Downman, A.R.A. (1750-1824) Portrait of Emily Adolphus aged eleven Watercolour and coloured chalks heightened with white, circular Wales, the son of an attorney and came to London to study under Benjamin West and 22.8cm., 9 inches diameter at the Royal Academy. From 1771 to 1775, he was in Italy with Joseph Wright of Derby. On his return, he specialised in portrait drawings executed in watercolour Emily Adolphus was the daughter of John Adolphus (1768-1845), the barrister and combined with black chalk and stump to create a soft velvety effect. He exhibited 333 writer. Her book ‘Recollections of the Public Career and Private Life of the late John pictures at the Royal Academy from 1769 until 1819. Adolphus, the eminent Barrister and Historian, with extracts from his diaries, by his daughter, Emily Henderson’ was published in 1871. Provenance: With Morton Morris and Co., London; Iolo Williams describes Downman as ‘the most notable portraitist of the late eighteenth The Estate of Mrs T. Conway century’ (Iolo Williams, Early English Watercolours, 1952, p.207). He was born in 4 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 5 2 George Henry Harlow (1787-1819) Studies for Arthur from Shakespeare’s King John Black and red chalk and stump on wove paper stamped .ARLEY STREET upper left 24.3 by 19.9cm., 9 ½ by 7 ¾ in. These two studies are preparatory drawings for the figure of Edmund in Harlow’s oil painting ‘King John, Act IV, Scene 1 – Hubert and Arthur’ which was exhibited at the British Institution in 1815. Hubert is the servant of King John who has been ordered to kill the King’s nephew Arthur, who is his rival to the throne. In this scene, Hubert is told to ‘put out his eyes’ but Arthur begs for his life and Hubert relents. During his escape however, Arthur falls and dies. Harlow was the best known and most talented of Sir Thomas Lawrence’s pupils but a falling out with Lawrence and an early death means he is little known today. Harlow entered Lawrence’s studio in 1802 and Joseph Farington noted in his diary that ‘Lawrence has got a young pupil of 15 years of age, who draws, Lane says, better than he does. His name is Harlow.’ Harlow’s ambition and impetuosity meant however that he lasted less than eighteen months with Lawrence and they parted on bad terms. Harlow found some success as a painter of portraits and theatrical subjects however and first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1805 aged eighteen. His portrait drawings are of great quality with a distinctive use of red chalk on the lips and cheek showing the influence of Lawrence. He went on his own Grand Tour in June 1818 and died of a throat infection shortly after his return aged 32. 5 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 6 3 Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A. (1775-1851) The Bridge of Narni, Italy Watercolour over pencil collection and consequently became one of the most important patrons of his day. His 15 by 22.1cm., 6 by 8 ½ in. collection included many works by John Robert Cozens, who Monro treated during his mental illness in the 1790s, Wilson, Gainsborough and Canaletto. It is likely to be Provenance: based on a work by Cozens when he was in Italy. Captain J. Pilkington, 1873; M.R.C. Lomax, his sale, Sotheby’s, 18th March 1982, lot 150; Narni is an ancient Umbrian hilltown in the province of Terni in a strategic position Private Collection, U.K. until 2009 overlooking the River Nera. It is famous for its large Roman bridge of which only half survives. In the distance the new bridge across the Nera is visible. This is a particularly good example of Turner’s early work, dating from circa 1794-95 when he was working for Dr Thomas Monro (1759-1833) at his drawing academy at This watercolour is sold with a letter of authentication from John Ruskin. 8 Adelphi Terrace, London. Monro commissioned young artists to copy works from his 6 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 7 4 Francis Nicholson (1753-1844) View of the Head of Windermere, Cumberland Watercolour over pencil and was a farmhouse before being sold in 1788 to George Law who enlarged the 39 by 56.5cm., 15 ¼ by 22 ¼ in. farmhouse and it became known as Brathay Hall. In 1799 it was sold on to Charles Lloyd and from May 1804 the house was rented by the amateur artist John Harden. Provenance: The Langdale Pikes disappear into the clouds behind the Hall. With Frost and Reed, 1945 This is a view of the north end of Lake Windermere taken from the road north of Low Wood with Brathay Hall visible on the far shore. Brathay belonged to the Braithwaite 7 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 8 5 Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) The Passing Fancy Pen and grey ink and watercolour over pencil on laid paper 12 by 13.8cm., 4 ¾ by 5 ¼ in. Provenance: With J. & W. Vokins, King St., London 8 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 9 6 Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) The Horse-traders Pen and grey and brown ink and watercolour over pencil 28 by 43cm., 11 by 16 ¾ in. Provenance: The Arts Club, Dover St,. London 9 14007 Guy Peppiatt Spring Cat_v5 21/04/2010 17:19 Page 10 7 Amelia Long, Lady Farnborough (1762-1837) An Album of Drawings and Watercolours Including study of dockleaves, trees, cottages, river scenes, people, on the Seine at Paris, cattle, an Army Encampment, boats on the beach at Hastings, studies at Bromley Hill, beach scene near Dover, Dover Castle, Calshot Castle, Luzarches, Richmond Bridge, still-life of a basket, Parisian fashions, boats, ferries, king over the rooftops to Eton College Chapel, Rotterdam and a windmill. Eighty-two, two signed with initials, six inscribed: Mrs Long, three dated, two 1817, one 1810 and inscribed on the frontispiece: Sophia F. Tower/1867/Sketches by Lady Farnborough, fifty-nine watercolour or wash, twenty-three pencil. Provenance: By descent to the artist’s niece, Lady Sophia Frances Brownlow (1811-1882), Weald Hall, Essex, who married Lt.-Col. Christopher Tower; By descent to Brownlow Richard Christopher Tower (d.1932), Ellesmere House, Shropshire, 1882; By descent to his niece Gwendolen Dorrien Smith (b.1883), Tresco, Isle of Scilly; Dorrien Smith family until the 1970s; Private Collection, UK Amelia Long was the daughter of Sir Abraham Hume (1749-1838), the amateur artist and collector and friend of Reynolds. She married Charles Long (1761-1838), a great friend of William Pitt, who held a number of government positions and was created 1st Baron Farnborough in 1826. She was a pupil of Thomas Girtin and Henry Edridge in the 1790s. She and her husband bought Bromley Hill, Kent in 1801 and proceeded to enlarge the house to their own designs and improved the much-admired garden which by 1809 had two picturesque walks, each a mile long. As an artist, the Somerset House Gazette described her as having ‘a talent for painting and drawing that might fairly rank with the professors of the living art.’ She showed pictures at the Royal Academy as an Honorary Exhibitor between 1807 and 1822. This rare album by her appears to include drawings and watercolours from all stages of her life and may have been put together by her niece Sophia Tower, who has inscribed the frontispiece, in the 1860s. It includes drawings from the 1790s very much in the manner of Thomas Girtin, whom she met through Dr Thomas Monro after his marriage and pencil drawings in the manner of Henry Edridge. There are also still-lives in the manner of Peter de Wint which appear to date from the 1820s or 1830s and figure studies and city views executed on a trip to Paris in 1817. A smaller sketchbook by the artist is in the Victoria and Albert Museum and another version of the view of Luzarches is in the Tate Gallery (T09068).