BY SAMUEL DIXON, SECOND QUARTER 18TH CENTURY, DECORATION REFRESHED FRAMED IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY BY MALLETT IN RATTAN, BAMBOO AND GILTWOOD FRAMES

Details

A SET OF SIX IRISH GEORGE II EMBOSSED BIRD PICTURES
BY SAMUEL DIXON, SECOND QUARTER 18TH CENTURY, DECORATION REFRESHED
FRAMED IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY BY MALLETT IN RATTAN, BAMBOO AND GILTWOOD FRAMES
Each applied to the reverse with the backs of the original frames including the original printed paper labels, including 'The Painted Pheasant from China' (number I), 'The Pea Hen Pheasant from China' (number IV), 'The Black Headed Indian Icterus' (number VI), 'The Black and White Chinese Cock Pheasant with its Hen' (number VII), 'The Mock-Bird' (number VIII) and 'The Quan or Guan' (number XII), the label of number I with a dedication 'To the Right Hon. Charworth Barbazon, Earl of Meath; These twelve Pieces of Foreign Birds, done in Basso Releivo, and painted in their natural Colours, are dedicated, by his Lordship's most humble and most obedient Servant, Samuel Dixon', and with a further inscription in ink 'Sir Hans Sloane died at Chelsea Jan. 11. 1753', number IV and number VII with a further circular paper label inscribed in ink with various numbers and 'set of 6 - 29.12.77', number VIII inscribed '29.12.77', the backgrounds repainted and other areas of retouching
The Frames: 15½ in. (39.5 cm.) high; 13 in. (33 cm.) wide (6)

Provenance

Purchased from Mallett, London.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The Dublin artist Samuel Dixon, of the Picture Shop Chapel Street, first advertised for subscribers to his delightful basso relievo bird pictures in one of Faulkner's 1749 Dublin Journals. Considered most appropriate for the reception/dressing-room of a lady's bedroom apartment, they also provided popular needlework patterns. This first 'Sett of curious (very fine) Foreign Bird Pieces' was followed six years later by his 'Sett of Foreign and Domestick Birds', 1755, that were largely drawn from George Edward's, Natural History of Uncommon Birds, 1743-51. The latter, executed in sets of twelve in vertical rather than horizontal form, and his dedications to 'Noble' subscribers, were recorded on the labels applied to the backs (see the lot illustration). See A.K. Longfield, 'Samuel Dixon's Embossed Pictures of Flowers and Birds', Irish Georgian Society Bulletin, Vol. XVIII, No. 4., 1975; and A.K. Longfield, 'More about Samuel Dixon and his Imitators', Irish Georgian Society Bulletin, vol. XXIII, no. 1, 1980.

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