BY SAMUEL DIXON, CIRCA 1750

細節

A SET OF NINE IRISH GEORGE II EMBOSSED BIRD PICTURES
By Samuel Dixon, circa 1750
Each depicting a bird or a pair of birds on a branch, some with insects, each with a label to the reverse with the number of the series and the name of the bird with a description, the set comprising '(NUMBER II) The PEACOCK PHEASANT from china', '(NUMBER III) The smallest green and red Indian PAROQET... The little black, white and red Indian CREEPER', '(NUMBER IV.) The PEA HEN PHEASANT from China', '(NUMBER V.) The brown Indian DOVE', '(NUMBER VI.) The Black-headed Indian ICTERUS.', '(NUMBER ... The MOCK....D', '(NUMBER IX.) The Green Indian FLY-CATCHER', '(NUMBER X.) The red-legg'd PARTRIDGE, from Barbary', '(NUMBER XI)' The TOURACO.', each in a black and gilt-japanned frame with floral trellis and sprigs, one inscribed in pencil 'Window Left'
11 x 9 in. (28 x 23 cm.) including frame (9)

來源

The Earls of Dalhousie, probably bought by Charles Ramsay, 7th Earl of Dalhousie (d. 1764) and by descent.

注意事項

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.

拍品專文

These embossed painted bird pictures were made by the Dublin artist, Samuel Dixon (d. 1769) in 1750. Still in their original frames, they formed part of his Foreign Bird Set, derived from the first four volumes of George Edwards' Natural History of Uncommon Birds, published between 1743 and 1751. The Foreign Bird set was produced in sets of twelve, each with an identifying label on the reverse. Each label had a distinctive border composed of symbols to avoid forgery. Number I from the series, no longer with the present set, included on its label the dedication 'To the Right Hon. CHAWORTH BRABAZON, Earl of Meath, these twelve pieces of Foreign Birds, done in Basso Relievo, and painted in their natural Colours, are dedicated by his Lordships most humble and most obedient servant SAMUEL DIXON'. Number I was a 'Painted Pheasant from China', and numbers VII and XII were 'The Black and White Chinese Cock Pheasant and its hen' and 'The Quan or Guan'.
In 1755, Dixon produced his 'Foreign and Domestick Birds' - or large bird - set, which carried a dedication on the back of each picture to twelve influential patronesses, and again borrowed heavily from Edwards' Natural History.

Eleven bird pictures from Dixon's Foreign Bird Set and one by Isaac Spackman, were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 19 November 1992, lot 6 (£49,500 inc. premium) another eleven pictures, also from the Foreign Bird Set, were sold by the Executors of the late Cicely, Marchioness of Zetland, in these Rooms, 10 May 1973, lots 8-18.

We are grateful to Robert Beardsley, Esq. for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.