Sancho, a bay pony, with Cato

细节

Ben Marshall (1768-1825)
Sancho, a bay pony, with Cato
signed and dated 'B. Marshall 1810 (centre left) and with insrciption 'My Dear little pony Sancho and his constant companion Cato - painted by Marshall, given to me when I was 8 years old by George Prince of Wales, lived to be 24 years old' (on a handwritten label attached to the reverse)
oil on canvas
17 7/8 x 21¼ in. (45.4 x 54 cm.)

来源

Mrs. Mary 'Minnie' Dawson-Damer (1798-1848).

注意事项

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

拍品专文

A hand-written label on the reverse, offers an interesting windown into Regency society. The writer of the inscription and the owner of the pony (given to her by George, Prince of Wales when she was eight years-old) and depicted in this work by Marshall was Miss Mary Georgiana Seymour who was known by the nickname, 'Minnie'. She was the 'adopted' daughter of Mrs. Fitzherbert, the Prince of Wales' long-term mistress and reputely his wife, who ascended to the throne in 1820 as King George IV, and Mrs. Fitzherbert.

In 1825, much to the disapproval of Mrs Fitzherbert and the King. Minnie married Col. the Hon. George Lionel Dawson-Damer (1788-1850), a dashing young cavalry officer and younger son of the Earl of Portalington, who was one of the Regency dandies who frequented White's Club. The King, who supplied Minnie's dowry of £20,000, was furious that the money would be going into the pocket of a penniless army officer.