Abram Incab Messir

Details

Sir David Wilkie, R.A. (1785-1841)
Abram Incab Messir
signed, inscribed and dated 'David Wilkie ... Smyrna Jany 29^th 1841' (lower centre)
coloured chalks and watercolour, heightened with white, on grey paper
17 x 11¼ in. (43.2 x 28.5 cm.)

Provenance

Anon. sale; Christie's, London, 15 December 1950, lot 20 (18 gns to Colnaghi).
with Spink-Leger, London.

Literature

A. Cunningham, The Life of Sir David Wilkie, London, 1943, p. 373.

Special notice

Christie's Interest in Property Consigned for Auction. From time to time, Christie's may offer a lot which it owns in whole or in part. This is such lot. 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

Lot Essay

David Wilkie noted in his journal for 27 January 1841 that he made two drawings of Abram Incab Messir at Smyrna. (see A. Cunningham, op.cit.). The present drawing is probably the version Wilkie made for the sitter, the other drawing (Wadsworth Athenaeum) differs in colouring to ours and was retained by Wilkie and subsequently engraved by Joseph Nash.

We are grateful to Professor Hamish Miles for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.

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