拍品專文
Another version of the present lot, signed and dated 1778, and its pendant, a view of Lake Geneva and Saint-Gervais to Beauregard from Saint-Jean, was exhibited at Maison Tavel, Geneva, Voltaire chez lui. Genève et Ferney, ed. E. Deuber-Paul; and J.D. Candaux, 1994 (Figs. 1 & 2). A third version was apparently formerly at Warwick Castle.
Little is known about Simon Malgo, a Danish artist who was born in Copenhagen and probably died in London. He was elected a student of the Academy of Arts in Copenhagen in 1759 and by 1773 had left for Rome with his fellow-painter Nikolaj-Abraham Abilgaard. In 1776 he left Rome on foot for Paris with another Danish artist, Jens Juel (1745-1802). From 1770-81 Malgo, with his friends Juel and Johann Frederik Clemens (1749-1831) were in Geneva, where in 1780 and 1781 they engraved two views of the gardens at Genthod with Lake Geneva and the Alps in the background, dedicated to Charles Bonnet and his wife. After 1782 Malgo was in England making numerous engravings. By 1792 when his friend Clemens visited him, Malgo was living in abject poverty and he most probably died shortly after 1793.
Malgo was reputed to have been in the employ of Voltaire at Geneva, a claim which seems to have no basis for truth, and probably stems from the fact that the other version of the present lot and its pendant (the view of which is taken from very close to Voltaire's property, Délices) were formerly in the collection of the Tronchin family, whose ancestor, Jean-Robert Tronchin was Voltaire's banker.
Little is known about Simon Malgo, a Danish artist who was born in Copenhagen and probably died in London. He was elected a student of the Academy of Arts in Copenhagen in 1759 and by 1773 had left for Rome with his fellow-painter Nikolaj-Abraham Abilgaard. In 1776 he left Rome on foot for Paris with another Danish artist, Jens Juel (1745-1802). From 1770-81 Malgo, with his friends Juel and Johann Frederik Clemens (1749-1831) were in Geneva, where in 1780 and 1781 they engraved two views of the gardens at Genthod with Lake Geneva and the Alps in the background, dedicated to Charles Bonnet and his wife. After 1782 Malgo was in England making numerous engravings. By 1792 when his friend Clemens visited him, Malgo was living in abject poverty and he most probably died shortly after 1793.
Malgo was reputed to have been in the employ of Voltaire at Geneva, a claim which seems to have no basis for truth, and probably stems from the fact that the other version of the present lot and its pendant (the view of which is taken from very close to Voltaire's property, Délices) were formerly in the collection of the Tronchin family, whose ancestor, Jean-Robert Tronchin was Voltaire's banker.