A group of five sketches including: A drawing of Mr Calmady in an interior, Mrs Calmady drawing; A young girl (illustrated); A man with a pipe; Two studies of hounds; and a green monkey

Details

John Frederick Lewis, R.A., P.O.W.S. (1805-1876)
A group of five sketches including: A drawing of Mr Calmady in an interior, Mrs Calmady drawing; A young girl (illustrated); A man with a pipe; Two studies of hounds; and a green monkey
one inscribed 'Corrie' (lower right) one signed, inscribed and dated 'A Green Monkey The Property of Mrs Greenwood/July 18th 1820 J F Lewis' (lower centre)
two pencil, three pencil and watercolour, unframed
8 1/8 x 10 7/8 in. (20.6 x 27.6 cm.); and smaller; and a drawing by another hand inscribed 'begun from John Lewis's sketch of John Bulteels/hounds.1822.' (lower left) (8)

Provenance

Mrs Emily Calmady and by descent in the family until 2005.

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.

Sale room notice

Please note that the drawings of Mr and Mrs Calmady in interiors are should be attributed to Frederick Christian Lewis (1779-1856), and not John Frederick Lewis.

Lot Essay

The figure of the gentleman included in this group is the same figure with a hat and smoking a pipe in the collection of Eton College, Peasants on the Bridge of Sighs, as this drawing is dated 1828, it seems to suggest that the present figure was executed during Lewis's continental tour of 1827. It is possible that the study of the young girl (illustrated) is based on Laura Calmady. The green monkey belonged to Mrs Greenwood, Mrs Calmady's mother, and was executed when Lewis was only 16 years old.

The inscription on the drawing of hounds refers to John Crocker Bulteel and his wife Elizabeth, of Fleet Manor, Devon who were also patrons of both F.C. and J.F. Lewis. J.F. Lewis exhibited Marmion and Lazarus, foxhounds in the pack of J.C. Bulteel Esq. at the Royal Academy in 1829 and The Squire (a portrait of J.C. Bulteel) at the Society of Painters in Water-colour in 1830.

We are grateful to Briony Llewellyn and Sally Doust for their help in preparing this catalogue entry.

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