Capital Assemblage of High-Finished Drawings and Some Few Pictures by Eminent Modern Artists: Collected by a Gentleman of the Most Approved Taste in the Fine Arts
Messrs. Christie, Sharp, and Harper
Reference: Christie’s, 19–20 May 1797
The sale took place over two days, 19–20 May 1797
Lugt, Catalogues, no.5599
Copies consulted: National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, online at Art Sales Catalogues Online; Archive of Christie’s, London
An advertisement notes: ‘TRULY CAPITAL ASSEMBLAGE of HIGH-FINISHED DRAWINGS … by the most eminent MODERN ARTISTS, collected by A GENTLEMAN Of the MOST-APPROVED TASTE in the FINE ARTS, and were intended for public Exhibition on the Continent, chiefly as a SPECIMEN of the ENGLISH SCHOOL.’ It adds that the works are ‘the most PERFECT SPECIMENS of the different Masters’. The marked copy in the archive at Christie’s identifies Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833) as the seller of the drawings by Thomas Girtin.
19 May 1797
- 2 – ‘Two views in Switzerland’. Sold for 8s
- 4 – ‘Two views in Hampstead’. Sold for 11s
- 7 – ‘St. Saviour’s Church, Southwark’. Sold for 14s
‘Framed and Glazed’
- 20 – ‘Two landscapes’. Sold for 13s. The seller is noted as ‘Malton’
20 May 1797
- 1 – ‘Two views in the Tyrol and Italy’. Bought by ‘Lawson’ for £2 2s
- 2 – ‘Three of buildings’, one by ‘Laporte’. Unsold at a reserve of 10s
- 8 – ‘Croydon church, and a cottage scene’. Bought by ‘Lawson’ for £1 5s
- 9 – ‘Bridge at Newark’. Sold for £1 11s 6d
- 13 – ‘Two views in France’. Sold for £2 2s
- 14 – ‘One ditto’. Sold for £1 2s