.jpg?w=1)
Details
JAMES WALES (1747-1795)
View of Bombay Harbour
2 hand-coloured aquatints on 2 sheets, each sheet with separate title, from Twelve views of the island of Bombay and its vicinity; taken in the years 1791 and 1792, published by R. Cribb, London, May 1 1800, framed together in gilt wood and gesso period frame, glazed, with verre eglomisé, unexamined out of frame, occasional small stains, small area of damage to sky area of right hand print
Image: 375 x 645mm each
These attractive images form part of the rare set of Twelve views of the island of Bombay..., some of the earliest European prints of the city, drawn in 1791-2 and subsequently engraved in Bombay by James Wales himself. A native of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Wales first earnt a modest living as a portrait and occasional landscape painter, later establishing himself as a portrait painter in London, where several of his paintings were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1783 and 1791. It was a meeting with a fellow Scotsman, James Forbes, which encouraged Wales to embark for India in January 1791. Whilst in India, he was commissioned to paint portraits of native princes and British officials, but he also became passionate about portraying the rock-cut temples in Western India. After Wales' death from fever in 1795, Sir Charles Malet took his effects, including paintings, sketches, engraved plates and notes back to England in 1798. In 1800 he arranged for the publication of the Twelve Views of Bombay... from the plates already prepared by Wales. At least one set of proof pulls had been taken by Wales from the plates whilst in Bombay. (2)
View of Bombay Harbour
2 hand-coloured aquatints on 2 sheets, each sheet with separate title, from Twelve views of the island of Bombay and its vicinity; taken in the years 1791 and 1792, published by R. Cribb, London, May 1 1800, framed together in gilt wood and gesso period frame, glazed, with verre eglomisé, unexamined out of frame, occasional small stains, small area of damage to sky area of right hand print
Image: 375 x 645mm each
These attractive images form part of the rare set of Twelve views of the island of Bombay..., some of the earliest European prints of the city, drawn in 1791-2 and subsequently engraved in Bombay by James Wales himself. A native of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Wales first earnt a modest living as a portrait and occasional landscape painter, later establishing himself as a portrait painter in London, where several of his paintings were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1783 and 1791. It was a meeting with a fellow Scotsman, James Forbes, which encouraged Wales to embark for India in January 1791. Whilst in India, he was commissioned to paint portraits of native princes and British officials, but he also became passionate about portraying the rock-cut temples in Western India. After Wales' death from fever in 1795, Sir Charles Malet took his effects, including paintings, sketches, engraved plates and notes back to England in 1798. In 1800 he arranged for the publication of the Twelve Views of Bombay... from the plates already prepared by Wales. At least one set of proof pulls had been taken by Wales from the plates whilst in Bombay. (2)
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.