15th Jul, 2023 11:00 GMT/BST
J Digby Curtis (early 19th century)
Shepherd and his flock
Signed and dated 1837?, inscribed "A Lamb Hogg, these sheep are brothers, the lamb Hog Fleece 12.75, the other when one year, J Footit, a shear Ram Ewe fourteen years old", oil on canvas, 62.5cm by 144cm
Sold for £25,000
Estimated at £3,000 - £5,000
In a fully and heavily restored state of preservation. Relined, cleaned and re-varnished. The original canvas would look to have sustained significant and extensive tears and damages. Associated repairs and retouching run from approx centre of left-hand side edge across roughly 75% the width of the composition with various horizontal and vertical retouches throughout the foliage of the tree to the left of the stable. The retouches to damages are less notable and consistent through the body of the left-hand side sheep where one might find only three main areas of retouches or damages. The standing figure has numerous areas of retouches and repairs across face, right-hand side shoulder and collar through his right-hand side arm, his hat, parts of his left-hand side arm. Further retouches and repairs to extensive damages/tears throughout the back of the stable itself, the near central sheep closest to standing figure has around 7-10 lines of retouches of varying lengths, the far right-hand side approx fifth of the painting shows less intervention and damages but does not remain without retouches all be it on a lesser scale to that described elsewhere. Further more delicate and notable retouches presumably to old flaked paint can be found throughout the sky, edges of old cracquelure across the painting in general. Some general flattening to the surface. Various restoration has deteriated and somewhat visble to the eye including traces of the original damage. Paint somewhat thin in places, particularly foreground etc. Numerous mould spots to reverse. For more information please contact the department.
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Auction: British, European & Sporting Art, 15th Jul, 2023
The British, European and Sporting Art Sale at Tennants Auctioneers will see a fine equestrian portrait of ‘Lady Caroline Held by a Groom, Newmarket’ attributed to Thomas Spencer (1700-1763) go under the hammer. It will be joined by notable lots from the Estate of Martin & Felicity Mackintosh of Harrogate, including a rich and plentiful still life of game, fruit and flowers by Hendrik Reekers (1815-1854), and further works by the likes of Ford Madox Brown and William Holman Hunt from the Estate of the late Ian Stephenson of Laithes, Penrith, Cumbria. Other notable lots include Montague Dawson's “HMS Amethyst running the Yangtse Gauntlet, 30th July 1949”.
Viewing
Sunday 9 July to Friday 14 July 11am-4pm and morning of sale from 8am
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