The Church of San Miguel, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

Details

David Roberts, R.A. (Edinburgh 1796-1864 London)
The Church of San Miguel, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
signed, inscribed and dated 'San Miguel. Xerez. April 29^t^h 1833' (lower right)
pencil, watercolour heightened with white, on buff paper
21¾ x 17½ in. (55.2 x 44.5 cm.)

Provenance

with The Leicester Galleries, London.

Engraved

A variant view, dated 1834 (private collection), engraved by Thomas Higham with differences for 'Andalusia' in T. Roscoe, Jennings Landscape Annual or The Tourist in Spain, Robert Jennings & Co., 1836 London, facing p. 226.

Brought to you by

Hélène Rihal

hrihal@christies.com +33 1 40 76 86 13

Lot Essay

This view of the interior of the church of San Miguel in Jerez (Xerex) was made on the spot by Roberts, 29 April 1833. In a letter of 4 May 1833 from Seville to his friend David Ramsay Hay (National Library of Scotland), Roberts wrote that he 'stopt some days' in Jerez, 'having letters to some Scottish friends from whom I received much kindness. It is like most of the other Towns of Andalusia of Moorish origin if not Roman...Some of the Churches, the Alcazar & City walls are the most proment [sic - prominent]. After viewing their immense cellars and tasting Sherrys in perfection I took my leave...'.

Another watercolour of this study circa 1836 (Private collection) was used for lithography by Thomas Shotter Boys and publication in 'Picturesque Sketches in Spain', 1837, plate 4.

We are grateful to Krystyna Matyjaszkiewicz for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.

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