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Lot Essay
Emily Calmady, née Greenwood was the wife of Charles Biggs Calmady of Langdon Hall, Wembury, South Devon. The Calmadys were patrons of Frederick Christian Lewis (1779-1856). In 1823 F. C. Lewis introduced Mrs Calmady to Lawrence, persuading her that her two daughters, Emily (1818-1906) and Laura Ann (1820-1894) should be painted. Enchanted by the two little girls Lawrence immediately dropped his price from six hundred and fifty guineas to one hundred and fifty pounds for the two little heads in a circle and some sky. The original on canvas is inscribed by Mrs Calmady, 'This is the sketch to be painted over but was given to me on my regretting such a drawing was to be lost under paint forever'. The inscription also notes that is was engraved by F.C. Lewis in 1825 and eight hundred engravings were sold within a month of publication.
Mrs Calmady would have executed the present drawing while her children were being painted by Lawrence. Mrs Calmady was a talented amateur artist and F.C. Lewis included one of her drawings of Leigh Tor from Fir Marsh near Home Cottage in his Scenery of the River Exe, 1827.
The preliminary drawing on canvas that Lewis engraved can be seen propped up on a paint table near the fireplace. The little girl sitting near the fireplace is probably Laura Calmady. You can also see the reflection of Lawrence himself painting, in the mirror on the right.
The oil painting of the Calmady children was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824 and is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, New York.
We are grateful to Sally Doust for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
Mrs Calmady would have executed the present drawing while her children were being painted by Lawrence. Mrs Calmady was a talented amateur artist and F.C. Lewis included one of her drawings of Leigh Tor from Fir Marsh near Home Cottage in his Scenery of the River Exe, 1827.
The preliminary drawing on canvas that Lewis engraved can be seen propped up on a paint table near the fireplace. The little girl sitting near the fireplace is probably Laura Calmady. You can also see the reflection of Lawrence himself painting, in the mirror on the right.
The oil painting of the Calmady children was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824 and is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, New York.
We are grateful to Sally Doust for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.