Heads of a sheep and a ram

Details

Thomas Sidney Cooper, R.A. (1803-1902)
Heads of a sheep and a ram
signed and inscribed 'From Nature T Sidney Cooper RA 1890' (on the fence)
oil on board, laid down on panel
28½ x 23½ in. (72.4 x 59.7 cm.)

Provenance

The artist's studio sale; Christie's, London, 12 April 1902, lot 118 (40 gns. to Davidson).
Stephen Mitchell (+); Christie's, London, 24 November 1933, lot 89 (12 gns. to Major Stephen Mitchell).
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 5 October 1945, lot 37 (12 gns. to Roeder).
Anonymous sale; Phillips, London, 31 October 1989, lot 16.

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

Lot Essay

The present work is typical of dozens of oil studies painted 'from nature' and retained by Cooper as 'models' to be incorparated into large scale compositions. These were never intended to be offered for sale, but remained at the artist's houses in London and Harbledon, Canterbury, until they were dispersed in Cooper's studio sale. Many can be seen hanging on the walls of Vernon Holme, Cooper's house, in contemporary photographs. Harry How, who interviewed Cooper for the Strand Magazine (1894) commented on similar studies lining the walls of the library: '[the walls] are completely hidden by sketches of surely, every animal that ever enjoyed the green fare provided by the meadows of Britain'.

We are grateful to Kenneth Westwood for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.

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