Old Master, British & European Pictures auction date: Wednesday 12 March, 10AM GMT
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A pen and ink sketch by leading 18th-century British portraitist George Romney has been discovered in a dumpster in Hudson, New York. It will be auctioned at Roseberys’ Old Master, British & European Pictures sale in London, with an estimate of £600–£800 ($750–$1,000). The finished version of the portrait in oils is held in The Frick Collection, less than 200 miles from where the sketch was found.
Bearing Romney’s studio stamp, the sketch depicts Henrietta Greville, Countess of Warwick, in a seated pose.
“When I first found it buried in the dumpster, it looked interesting and old, but I had no idea it was nearly 300 years old! After taking it home and doing some research, I couldn't believe it - how did this mid-18th century drawing from England end up in the trash in upstate New York?” mused the vendor, an antiques enthusiast from Hudson.
George Romney, British 1734-1802- Sketch of Henrietta, Countess of Warwick
George Romney (1734-1802) was born in Lancashire and died in Kendal. Although his aspiration was to be a history painter, he found fame as a society portraitist in London. Romney’s disregard for 18th-century aesthetic conventions set him apart as a portraitist from his more mechanistic contemporaries Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. The pen and ink drawing is rapidly executed with fluent lines, typical of Romney’s experimental technique. His work is held in major institutions, including Tate Britain, The National Portrait Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The National Gallery of Art in Washington.
Henrietta Greville (née Vernon) married George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, in 1776. Her brother-in-law, Charles Greville, introduced Romney to his muse, Emma Hamilton. Henrietta sat for Romney in 1777, 1782, and 1784, frequently appearing in his portraits alone and with her children.
This is a remarkable find, and I’m delighted it was saved from the rubbish! This sketch is from Romney’s mature period of artistic production, at the height of his sensitivity as a portraitist. It highlights his close relationship with the Grevilles, who were lifelong patrons and friends. We hope this discovery will help establish a provenance trail.
Lara L’vov-Basirov, Head of Old Master, British & European Pictures at Roseberys.
For more information, please visit www.roseberys.co.uk
About the Old Master, British & European Pictures auction
Roseberys' Old Master, British & European Pictures auction features over 470 curated lots, celebrating the variety of the category. The sale is led by the Collection of the Late Hugo Morley-Fletcher, featuring significant early Scottish pictures.
Further collections of the late Professor Brian Ballantyne, Peter and Ann Mactaggart, and Mary and Alan Hobart, founders of Pyms Gallery, are also represented.
Highlights include a newly discovered work in the oeuvre of Luigi Garzi, a ‘bozzetta’ by Carlo Innocenzo Carlone, and an oil on copper by Paolo Farinati, which has never been seen before on the market.
Roseberys also presents exceptional paintings by 18th- and 19th-century artists such as Henry Bone, Alexander Nasmyth, George Dawe, Jan Portielje, Sir John Lavery, Emile Cambiaggio, Alexandre Benois, and Paul-Emile Bécat. The sale is further enriched by strong works on paper, including a rare portrait sketch of young Felix Mendelssohn by Carl Joseph Begas and a distinguished selection of Old Master Prints from the collection of the late Professor Eric G. Stanley.
ENDS
High res images available for editorial use here. Please credit Roseberys.
For media enquiries please contact: aliciaglenn@roseberys.co.uk
For media enquiries please contact: aliciaglenn@roseberys.co.uk
About Roseberys:
Operating in London for more than 30 years, Roseberys Fine Art Auctioneers is a privately owned specialist fine art and antiques auction house and valuers, located in the heart of South London.
The team of world renowned experts and consultants offer both buyers and sellers a range of specialist art market services and a calendar of over 30 specialist auctions a year covering all areas of Asian Arts, Islamic & Indian Art, Jewellery & Watches, Old Master, 18th & 19th Century Art, Modern British & Contemporary British Art, Urban & Contemporary Prints & Multiples, 20th Century Art & Design, Impressionist, Modern, Post War & Contemporary Art and Decorative Arts, Fine & Decorative sales including Silver, Ceramics, Works of Art and Furniture.
In addition to hosting over 30 specialist auctions annually, Roseberys offers single-owner collection sales. Recent highlights include the Mary & Alan Hobart Collection (founders of Pyms Gallery), an Important Private Collection of Chinese Imperial Porcelain and The George Farrow Collection.