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Lot Essay
Cornelius O'Callaghan, 1st Baron Lismore of Shanbally, Co. Tipperary married Frances Ponsonby, daughter of Rt. Hon. John Ponsonby and Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, on 13 December 1774. He was created in the Peerage of Ireland 1st Baron Lismore on 27 June 1785. His son Cornelius O'Callaghan (1775-1857), 2nd Baron Lismore, was created 1st Viscount Lismore in 1806. The titles became extinct upon the death of his son George Ponsonby O'Callaghan, 2nd Viscount Lismore in 1898. Built for Cornelius O'Callaghan, 1st Viscount Lismore, in about 1810, Shanbally Castle was the largest house built in Ireland by the English architect, John Nash. It was acquired by the Irish Land Commission in 1954 and destroyed in 1960.
Lord Lismore was one of Ferneley's earliest patrons. Ferneley lists in his account books for 1809 two paintings for Lord Lismore in April 1809; Portrait of a Greyhound and Portrait of a Mare, Groom and Hounds, 4ft. by 3 ft. 3 in. He also lists a painting for Lord Lismore in 1811 measuring 3 ft. by 2 ft. 5½ in and two further commissions in 1811 and 1812.
Ferneley who had been taken ill in July 1808 when at Stanton Harold, the seat of Earl Ferrers, was advised to winter somewhere other than Leicestershire. He chose Ireland. The Duke of Rutland's father had been Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time of his death in 1778, and the young Duke gave Ferneley introductions to his father's friends. Paget notes, 'He painted pictures for Lord Rossmore, Mr O'Callaghan, Lord Lismore and others, charging seven guineas for a horse's portrait with a man, five without' (G. Paget, The Melton Mowbray of John Ferneley, Leicester, 1931, p. 16). Whilst in Ireland, Ferneley earned about a hundred and eighty pounds and afterwards he married Miss Sally Kettle from Warwickshire. Following their marriage in November 1809, he returned with her to Ireland in the spring of 1810. At this tme Ireland was past the troubles of 1798 and the Napoleonic wars were making the farmers prosperous. This second Irish tour began in April with a visit to the Hon. George O'Callaghan, for whom he painted four pictures of horses and hounds. He then spent the last half of April with Lord Lismore, painting a portrait of his Lordship's famous Egyptian pony and a picture of Young Buffer. In five months he earned just over two hundred pounds. After this tour Ferneley increased his price for a horse picture from five to ten guineas, a charge which he never altered afterwards. Again in the spring of 1811, Ferneley returned to Ireland and found many new clients as well as his old friends including Lord Lismore and others. His last visit was in 1812 and although he had many commissions, not all of them were paid for as the economy in Ireland was weakening. Instead he decided to set up in Melton Mowbray in 1814.
Lord Lismore was one of Ferneley's earliest patrons. Ferneley lists in his account books for 1809 two paintings for Lord Lismore in April 1809; Portrait of a Greyhound and Portrait of a Mare, Groom and Hounds, 4ft. by 3 ft. 3 in. He also lists a painting for Lord Lismore in 1811 measuring 3 ft. by 2 ft. 5½ in and two further commissions in 1811 and 1812.
Ferneley who had been taken ill in July 1808 when at Stanton Harold, the seat of Earl Ferrers, was advised to winter somewhere other than Leicestershire. He chose Ireland. The Duke of Rutland's father had been Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time of his death in 1778, and the young Duke gave Ferneley introductions to his father's friends. Paget notes, 'He painted pictures for Lord Rossmore, Mr O'Callaghan, Lord Lismore and others, charging seven guineas for a horse's portrait with a man, five without' (G. Paget, The Melton Mowbray of John Ferneley, Leicester, 1931, p. 16). Whilst in Ireland, Ferneley earned about a hundred and eighty pounds and afterwards he married Miss Sally Kettle from Warwickshire. Following their marriage in November 1809, he returned with her to Ireland in the spring of 1810. At this tme Ireland was past the troubles of 1798 and the Napoleonic wars were making the farmers prosperous. This second Irish tour began in April with a visit to the Hon. George O'Callaghan, for whom he painted four pictures of horses and hounds. He then spent the last half of April with Lord Lismore, painting a portrait of his Lordship's famous Egyptian pony and a picture of Young Buffer. In five months he earned just over two hundred pounds. After this tour Ferneley increased his price for a horse picture from five to ten guineas, a charge which he never altered afterwards. Again in the spring of 1811, Ferneley returned to Ireland and found many new clients as well as his old friends including Lord Lismore and others. His last visit was in 1812 and although he had many commissions, not all of them were paid for as the economy in Ireland was weakening. Instead he decided to set up in Melton Mowbray in 1814.