16th Jul, 2022 9:30 GMT/BST

British, European and Sporting Art

 
  Lot 1052
 

1052

Henry Stacy Marks RA (1829-1898)
"Pelican"
Signed and dated 1884, with inscribed label verso and dated 1889, fragments of a likely original artist's label verso, oil on canvas, 85cm by 59.5cm

With Christie's stencil 499CK to reverse

Henry Stacy Marks is perhaps best remembered today for his extraordinary depictions of birds. Born and trained in London, the artist’s early career focused on historical scenes frequently sourced from Shakespeare. However, in 1888 the Fine Art Society planned an exhibition on birds, and Marks took the opportunity to study the subject in depth, becoming a frequent visitor to London Zoo. Drawing birds with accuracy, and focusing on exotic and colourful species, Henry Stacy Marks mastered the art of ornithological painting and this impressive depiction of a pelican on a shore shows the artist at the height of his artistic powers.

Sold for £18,500
Estimated at £12,000 - £18,000


 

Glazed. Covered in a layer of dirt and discoloured varnish. Small patch of fine stable cracquelure within the sea right-hand side approx 4cm from the bird's neck and also within the pink cheek plumage. Odd bristle encapsulated within the paint, sky and rock lower right foreground. Small amount of old paper/debris along lower edge. Very slight buckle to upper right-hand corner. Otherwise in an overall very good stable state of preservation. For more information please contact the department.

 


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Auction: British, European and Sporting Art, 16th Jul, 2022

'In a Ligurian Garden', an important lost work by Henry Herbert La Thangue, is to be sold in the British, European and Sporting Art Sale on 16th July with an estimate of £70,000-100,000 plus buyer's premium. The painting was recently rediscovered in Yorkshire, having been passed down through the family of Sir William Prince-Smith (1898-1964) and his wife Marjorie, manufacturers of textile machinery from Keighley, West Yorkshire.  View lot

Henry Herbert La Thangue RA (1859-1929) was one of the leading exponents of British Impressionism, who had become enamoured with painting 'en plein air' on a youthful painting trip to Brittany in 1881 with friend and fellow artist Stanhope Forbes, one of the founders of the Newlyn School of Painters. On his return to England he settled in Sussex, painting farm labourers in idyllic, rustic surroundings, recording a way of English rural life that was fast being lost to increasing industrialisation.

Viewing

Sunday 10 July 11am-4pm, Monday 11 July to Friday 15 July 10am-4pm and morning of sale from 8am. Viewing is open to the public, there is no need to make an appointment.

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