.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Four of the original drawings of Corfu, Lefkas (Lefkados), Ithaca (Ithaki), and Zante (Zakynthos) by Cartwright for his Views of the Ionian Islands dedicated to Sir Thomas Maitland and published in 1821. The Ionian Islands, which became important naval bases for the British in the mid-19th century, lie off the west coast of Greece, Corfu the northernmost of the group. They were long under Venetian rule and so uniquely, among Greek territories, had escaped Ottoman rule. The islands Italian ties are evidenced in their Renaissance, classical and baroque architecture. They were finally transferred back to Greece by the British in 1864. Cartwright was paymaster-general of British Forces at Corfu after the Ionian Islands became a British protectorate (1815-1862) following the Treaty of Paris in 1815.
He bestrode the Mediterranean like a Colossus
W. F. Lord on Maitland's service in the Mediterranean
Maitland was appointed first Governor of Malta in 1813 and Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands during the British protectorate, 1815-1823, the seat of the islands' administration at Corfu. Maitland was commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, excluding Gibraltar, at a period when the British dominated the Mediterranean in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars: '... capable and hard-working, but also arrogant, imperious, querulous, bad-tempered, and ill-mannered.' (DNB) Maitland, in poor health after years in tropical service, died at Valetta from a stroke in 1824: 'Commemorative services were held in Ionian churches and at one the eulogy by Count Spiridian Bulgaris praised him as like ‘a guardian angel’, just, humane, and generous, causing ‘the progressive improvement of all useful institutions’ and entitled to ‘the lasting veneration of the Ionian people’ ... . He was commemorated by a small Ionic rotunda at the Esplanade, Corfu town.' (DNB) Given the Maitland family provenance of these four watercolours, the artist presumably presented his original artwork for the twelve plates to Sir Thomas, the dedicatee of the published Views.
Cartwright, a marine painter from Devon, employed by the navy in a civilian role, returned from his posting to Corfu in 1821 and published his Ionian Views in the same year, and another plate book based on his recent travels, Selections of the Costume of Albania and Greece with Explanatory Quotations from the Poems of Lord Byron and Gally Knight, in 1822. He subsequently concentrated on marine painting, and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, Society of British Artists and British Institution. He was elected a member of the Society of British Artists in 1825, and was appointed marine painter to H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, Lord High Admiral of England (and future King William IV), in 1828.
Cartwright's accompanying text for these four plates as published in the Views are as follows:
Plate I.
The Town, Citadel, and the Harbour of Corfu, from the Island of Vido.
The fore-ground on the left of the picture, is formed by the landing place and the market boat, with a group of English Soldiers, at the Island of Vido; above which, on the horizon, is Santa Maura, and nearer the low land of Lefchimo. In the middle distance, is the Citadel of Corfu, and between it and Vido, are two Paranzella fishing boats, who have just got the morning breeze. In the centre, and to the right, are a party of Health Office people, with Albanians and a British Sentry, superintending the landing of Cattle, from one of their boats in Quarantine; this practice of immersing the animals in the water, and allowing them to swim on shore, is adopted as a plague preventative; - above the groups, is the Glasgow Frigate, and the Town, from the Citadel-bridge to the Custom-house; at the back of which is New-fort, and part of the mountain of Santa Decka.
Plate VII.
The Sanita, or Health Office, at Santa Maura. [Lefkas]
This view of a Quarantine Office is selected, to show the method of examining persons coming from countries suspected of plague. The group in the fore ground consists of an Albanian Captain of Banditti, and a Suliote with his Wife, under the inspection of the Health Officer, previous to their being sent into the lazarett; to the right is seen another group, occupied in fumigating a letter, and at the window of the house, is a traveller lounging away his irksome quarantine. The Figure looking in at the railing, in a white Capote, is an Acarnanian Shepherd; the remaining figures are Peasantry of the Island. In the distance, to the left, is seen part of the Island of Meganisi, and to the right the ancient Leucas. The boats under the yellow Flag, are the sort of Craft used in that part of the Channel.
Plate VIII.
View of the Town and Harbour of Vathi, in Ithaca.
This view is taken from the place where the people of the Island transact their commercial affairs, and bring down vegetables and other provision, for those who are in Quarantine. To the left of the picture is an Idriot Polacre Ship, shooting corn into a Trebacolo; and part of her crew, under the yellow flag, are seen delivering a letter, for fumigation, to the Health Officer. The Man of War is the Albion, Rear Admiral Sir Charles Penrose. Behind, is the town of Vathi; on the right of the picture, is the Lazarett, and upon the steep hills, may be traced the remains of the Old City.
Plate XI.
The Piazza of Saint Mark, in Zante.
Immediately over the Health Office is seen the sea, and in the extreme distance, the western extremity of Mount Scopo. On the left of the picture, under the grape-vine, is the English main-guard room. Near the group of soldiers are merchants of the Morea, in their Greek dress, and Frank hat; and the remainder of the costumes are those of inhabitants of the Island. On the right of the picture is an Officer of the “Monte di Pieta,” selling unredeemed pledges by auction. Some of the windows of the houses in this piazza, are seen blocked up by lattice work, called “gelosie,” the use of which is to prevent the females from been seen by persons in the street. Since the arrival however of the English in the Island, several Greek families have mixed in their society, and many of these prison-like gratings have altogether disappeared.
He bestrode the Mediterranean like a Colossus
W. F. Lord on Maitland's service in the Mediterranean
Maitland was appointed first Governor of Malta in 1813 and Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands during the British protectorate, 1815-1823, the seat of the islands' administration at Corfu. Maitland was commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, excluding Gibraltar, at a period when the British dominated the Mediterranean in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars: '... capable and hard-working, but also arrogant, imperious, querulous, bad-tempered, and ill-mannered.' (DNB) Maitland, in poor health after years in tropical service, died at Valetta from a stroke in 1824: 'Commemorative services were held in Ionian churches and at one the eulogy by Count Spiridian Bulgaris praised him as like ‘a guardian angel’, just, humane, and generous, causing ‘the progressive improvement of all useful institutions’ and entitled to ‘the lasting veneration of the Ionian people’ ... . He was commemorated by a small Ionic rotunda at the Esplanade, Corfu town.' (DNB) Given the Maitland family provenance of these four watercolours, the artist presumably presented his original artwork for the twelve plates to Sir Thomas, the dedicatee of the published Views.
Cartwright, a marine painter from Devon, employed by the navy in a civilian role, returned from his posting to Corfu in 1821 and published his Ionian Views in the same year, and another plate book based on his recent travels, Selections of the Costume of Albania and Greece with Explanatory Quotations from the Poems of Lord Byron and Gally Knight, in 1822. He subsequently concentrated on marine painting, and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, Society of British Artists and British Institution. He was elected a member of the Society of British Artists in 1825, and was appointed marine painter to H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, Lord High Admiral of England (and future King William IV), in 1828.
Cartwright's accompanying text for these four plates as published in the Views are as follows:
Plate I.
The Town, Citadel, and the Harbour of Corfu, from the Island of Vido.
The fore-ground on the left of the picture, is formed by the landing place and the market boat, with a group of English Soldiers, at the Island of Vido; above which, on the horizon, is Santa Maura, and nearer the low land of Lefchimo. In the middle distance, is the Citadel of Corfu, and between it and Vido, are two Paranzella fishing boats, who have just got the morning breeze. In the centre, and to the right, are a party of Health Office people, with Albanians and a British Sentry, superintending the landing of Cattle, from one of their boats in Quarantine; this practice of immersing the animals in the water, and allowing them to swim on shore, is adopted as a plague preventative; - above the groups, is the Glasgow Frigate, and the Town, from the Citadel-bridge to the Custom-house; at the back of which is New-fort, and part of the mountain of Santa Decka.
Plate VII.
The Sanita, or Health Office, at Santa Maura. [Lefkas]
This view of a Quarantine Office is selected, to show the method of examining persons coming from countries suspected of plague. The group in the fore ground consists of an Albanian Captain of Banditti, and a Suliote with his Wife, under the inspection of the Health Officer, previous to their being sent into the lazarett; to the right is seen another group, occupied in fumigating a letter, and at the window of the house, is a traveller lounging away his irksome quarantine. The Figure looking in at the railing, in a white Capote, is an Acarnanian Shepherd; the remaining figures are Peasantry of the Island. In the distance, to the left, is seen part of the Island of Meganisi, and to the right the ancient Leucas. The boats under the yellow Flag, are the sort of Craft used in that part of the Channel.
Plate VIII.
View of the Town and Harbour of Vathi, in Ithaca.
This view is taken from the place where the people of the Island transact their commercial affairs, and bring down vegetables and other provision, for those who are in Quarantine. To the left of the picture is an Idriot Polacre Ship, shooting corn into a Trebacolo; and part of her crew, under the yellow flag, are seen delivering a letter, for fumigation, to the Health Officer. The Man of War is the Albion, Rear Admiral Sir Charles Penrose. Behind, is the town of Vathi; on the right of the picture, is the Lazarett, and upon the steep hills, may be traced the remains of the Old City.
Plate XI.
The Piazza of Saint Mark, in Zante.
Immediately over the Health Office is seen the sea, and in the extreme distance, the western extremity of Mount Scopo. On the left of the picture, under the grape-vine, is the English main-guard room. Near the group of soldiers are merchants of the Morea, in their Greek dress, and Frank hat; and the remainder of the costumes are those of inhabitants of the Island. On the right of the picture is an Officer of the “Monte di Pieta,” selling unredeemed pledges by auction. Some of the windows of the houses in this piazza, are seen blocked up by lattice work, called “gelosie,” the use of which is to prevent the females from been seen by persons in the street. Since the arrival however of the English in the Island, several Greek families have mixed in their society, and many of these prison-like gratings have altogether disappeared.