CHRISTIE 27th APRIL 1864
CATALOGUE EXTRACT
See Also:
September 2021
List of Pictures, Watercolours and Drawings in the Section 'Property of a Gentleman'
This section of the sale is of interest because lot 90 was JMW Turner's 'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol. Exhibited 1793'. Documented sightings of this watercolour-drawing are rare but another of the works, 'Battle of the Nile, the L'Orient blown up. Exhibited 1799', has emerged on several occasions. Lot 92, Landseer's 'Repose' (now known as 'Study of a dog and a cat') has been traced to modern times.
Information as to the identity 'Gentleman' starts with the entry in 'Butlin and Joll' for 'Battle of the Nile'. There, in B&J catalogue entry 10, he is identified as 'L. Huskisson' of Frith St., Soho'. This B&J catalogue entry immediately indicates uncertainty as to whether the picture in the catalogue is actually the 1799 exhibit. However, the next lot, 92; Landseer, is found to be accurately described so the evidence actually weighs on the side of Christie's having provided accurate information in this catalogue. B&J report also the opinion of Brown that 'The Battle of the Nile' was a drawing. Since the catalogue shows no indication of which of the gentleman's pieces were oils this is a tenable opinion based on Brown's interpretation of the letter mentioned in the B&J entry. Christie's, in an e-mail of 4th November 2019, refer to these three works, lots as 'drawings' and the collection as 'Huskisson'. The identity 'L. Huskisson' in B&J seems to rely on C F Bell, Nos. 6, 30 & 89 but CF Bell, in No. 6 states incorrectly that the three JMW Turner's appear among 'pictures'. Furthermore CF Bell names the collection as merely 'Huskisson'. Therefore B&J must have had an additional source of information (this source has not emerged). The compiler, in B&J, concludes that the exhibited 'Battle of the Nile' was an oil.
The sale is recorded in Redford (page 120). However, in this instance the seller is recorded as 'HUSKINSON' (with an 'N' instead of a 'S'). Although at first sight this may appear to be a misprint, it is actually a key piece of evidence which establishes the exact identity of the 'Gentleman'. During a period of some years before this sale a family of artists with the surname 'Huskinson' had been active first in Nottingham and later in London. Father, Henry and his two sons Robert and Leonard all exhibited at the Royal Academy and crucially were known both as 'Huskinson' and 'Huskisson'; the latter being a change of name intitiated by Henry [see Huskinson Family].
Graves' 'Contributors' vol. 4 page 206 illustrates this duality of names concisely and there is a substantial amount of supporting evidence. [see Huskinson Family]. Henry and Robert died before 1864 and before Leonard who died in 1870 by which time any wealth he had aquired from his his collection had apparently vanished. His grant of probate shows only a small estate and describes him as a 'picture dealer'.
The Lots As Printed in the Catalogue
JMW TURNER RA
89. Remains of Waltham Abbey, Essex. Exhibited 1796
JMW TURNER RA
90. View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol. Exhibited
1793
JMW TURNER RA
91. Battle of the Nile, the L'Orient blown up. Exhibited 1799
SIR E. LANDSEER
92. Repose. The picture was purchased at the sale of his sister's
(Mrs. McKenzie's) effects.
W. COLLINS, RA
93. A fisherman's boy. Very fine.
W. COLLINS, RA
94. A coast scene, with boats and figures
W. COLLINS, RA
95. A waggon and horses
J. LINNELL, SEN
96. Sheep in a landscape.
G. ROMNEY
97. The Lady Hamilton. Very beautiful.
E.W. FROST, ARA
98. Samson and Delilah
J. RIGAUD RA
99. Cupid with bow and arrow
D. MACLISE, RA
100. A sketch of a man in armour
H. HOWARD, RA
101. The Infant Plato
W. MÜLLER
102. A Landscape
Artist's Dates
The Artist's dates did not appear in the catalogue
In alphabetical order; Entries in red are living at the date of sale (27 April 1864):
...and in the order that they appear in the catalogue:
Note: Lot 92 has been traced to modern times and photographs are available. The piece is executed on a small approx 2"x 3" copper panel. The modern title is 'Study of a Dog and Cat'; however, close inspection also reveals the presence of a spider which may be an indication that the picture was intended to deceive. Sir Edwin is credited in the catalogue but only due to the inscription which merely states 'supposed' by him. The presence of the spider and the origin being 'her sale' suggests that the artist was probably by Emma Landseer. Another possibility is that the artist was their father, John, who as an engraver would have a supply of copper plates readily available; a dog and a cat in tranquil pose is somewhat reminiscent of John's engravings. The original title seems to have been lost. [see: Landseer, 'Repose']
The Lots with additional information
PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN; CHRISTIES SALE CATALOGUE 27th APRIL 1864
In the catalogue at the bottom of page 11:
Lot 89; JMW Turner; Remains of Waltham Abbey, Essex; Exhibited 1796. Marked "bo' in"
Lot 90; JMW Turner; View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol. Exhibited 1793. Marked "do" (bought in)
In the catalogue a page turn is here. The property continues on page 12
Lot 91; JMW Turner; Battle of the Nile, the L'Orient blown up. Exhibited 1799. Bracketed with 91-95 as bought in, £12/12
Lot 92; Sir E Landseer; Repose; The picture was purchased at the sale of his sister's (Mrs. McKenzie's) effects. buyer: none, £16.16 appears to be bought in but there is uncertainty. Bracketed with 91-95 as bought in, £12/12
Lot 93; W Collins; A fisherman's boy; Very fine; Bracketed with 91-95 as bought in, £12/12
Lot 94; W Collins; A coast scene, with boats and figures; Bracketed with 91-95 as bought in, £5/5
Lot 95; W Collins; A Waggon and Horses; Bracketed with 91-95 as bought in, £10/10
Lot 96; J Linnell (Sen); Sheep in a Landscape; buyer: Pennell, £18/7/6 (17½ guineas)
Lot 97; George Romney; 'The Lady Hamilton' Very beautiful; buyer: Anderdon £16/16;
Lot 98; EW Frost; Samson and Delilah; buyer: Robotham, £7/7/-
Lot 99; J Rigaud; Cupid with bow and arrows; buyer: Eyre £7
Lot 100; D MacLise; A sketch of a man in armour; buyer: Gray 16/-
In the catalogue this is the bottom of page 12. The property continues on the facing page, 13
Lot 101; H Howard; The infant Plato; buyer: Noseda
Lot 102; W Müller; A Landscape; buyer Pennell
For additional notes about these lots and cross-references with other sources see:
