The Enchantress

Details

Arthur Hughes (1832-1915)
The Enchantress
signed 'ARTHUR HUGHES' (lower left)
oil on canvas, laid down on board
15¾ x 9 7/8 in. (40 x 25.1 cm.)

Provenance

The artist's studio sale; Christie's, London, 21 November 1921, lot 51 (2½ gns to L. Missell, Jr.).
Lockett Thomson; Christie's, London, 29 November 1937, lot 311 (3 gns to Robert Abbott).
H.W. Auerbach; Christie's, London, 5 June 1942, lot 130 (3 gns to Willis).
Anon. sale; Sotheby's, Belgravia, 6 December 1977, lot 49 (£200).

Literature

L. Roberts, Arthur Hughes; his life and works, 1997, no. 118 (illustrated p.180).

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot is subject to Collection and Storage Charges.

Lot Essay

Datable to the early 1870s, this picture is probably a sketch for a larger picture that was then never begun. A work by Hughes of the mid-1860's entitled Mariana at the Window includes the same sort of diaphanous material worn by the model in our picture. When sold in 1937 and 1942 the sitter was thought to be Ellen Terry, although recent scholarship has cast doubt on this suggestion.

We are grateful to Leonard Roberts and Margaret Weare for their help in the preparation of this catalogue entry.

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