Edward Lear, Gebel Serbal from above Wadi Useit, Egypt.
Pen and brown ink and watercolour over traces of pencil; inscribed lower right: Gebal [sic] Serbal / from above Wady [sic] Useit / 20. January. 1849. 2. P.M.., and further inscribed with artists notes. 120 by 225 mm.
Edward Lear, View of Tivoli.
Indistinctly inscribed and dated ‘Tivoli May 7 …183.'(lower left). Pencil and grey wash heightened with white on light grey paper. 7 1/8 x 10 in. (18.2 x 25.4 cm.).
With financial backing from Lord Derby, Lear set out for Italy in the summer of 1837. For most of the next ten years Lear wintered in Rome and toured other parts of Italy during the summer. This visit to Tivoli is referred to by Lear in a letter dated 3rd May 1838 to his sister Ann; ‘I, and Uwins and Mr Acland set off on Saturday – staying some days at many beautiful places all (of) which I will tell you about. I must now describe my dear Tivoli as I promised the height of landscape perfection’ (V. Noakes, Edward Lear, Selected Letters, Oxford, 1988, p. 41). ‘Mr. Acland’ (Leopold Dyke Acland) was one of Lear’s travelling companions who after Tivoli went on to the Bay of Naples in the summer of 1838. Later Acland joined Lear for a tour of Sicily in the spring of 1842. Leopold was the son of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland , tenth baronet (1787-1871), a politician and philanthropist.
Edward Lear, Jerusalem; a view from the South looking towards the Dome of the Rock.
Signed with monogram (lower right). Pencil and watercolour and bodycolour heightened with white. 6 3/8 x 10¼ in. (16.2 x 26 cm.).
Lear first visited Jerusalem in the Spring of 1858 arriving in Holy Week, having been commissioned to paint the city by Lady Waldegrave (1821-1879). He went out each morning making preparatory drawings and wrote to his sister Ann ‘… just before sunrise the view of the city is most lovely, all gold and white beyond the dark fig and olive trees’. Lear returned to Jerusalem in 1867 setting off on camels across the desert, eventually arriving in Jerusalem in mid-April.
Edward Lear, Monaco.
Signed with monogram (lower left). Pencil and watercolour heightened with touches of bodycolour. 4 1/8 x 8 in. (10.5 x 23 cm.).
The present work is drawn from Cap D’Ail, in 1865 and looks towards the Prince’s palace on the left of the peninsular with the cathedral, since rebuilt, a little to the right. Lear wrote to his friend Chichester Fortescue (1823-1898) on 13 November 1864 when he was in the south of France; ‘had no idea the Cornice was so magnificent in scenery; Eza [sic Eze] and Monaco are wondrously picturesque, and Mentone very pretty’ (Lady Strachey, ed., Later Letters of Edward Lear, London, 1911, p. 51).
Edward Lear, Thermopylae, 30 June 1848.
Pen and brown and blue ink with watercolour over pencil, heightened with white on grey paper; inscribed lower right: 102 / Thermopylae / 30 June 1848; further inscribed with artist’s notes. 175 by 28 mm.
Edward Lear arrived in Greece on 1st June 1848 before setting out on a tour of the central part of that country with his friend and patron, Charles Church. Unfortunately, their journey was beset by misfortune and Lear was thrown from his horse on the first day. Despite a sprained shoulder he refused to turn back and they visited Chalcis, Euboea, Eretia, Aliveri, Kumi, Lamia and Patragik before reaching ‘the celebrated pass of Thermopylae’1on the 30th. By the time they reached Thebes however Lear had developed a fever and, dangerously ill, he had to be brought back to Athens ‘by four horses on an indiarubber bed.’2
1. V. Noakes, Edward Lear Selected Letters, London 1988, p. 80.
Provenance
Sale, London, Sotheby’s, 20 November 1986, lot 188;
with Spink’s, London;
John, Lord D’Ayton (1922-2003);
thence by decent to the present owners
Exhibited
London, Sotheby’s, Edward Lear, An Exhibition of Works by Edward Lear from the D’Ayton International Collection, assembled by John D’Ayton, 2004, no. 9
Sotheby’s Old Master & British Drawings including French Masterworks from the Dormeuil Collection.
2. Lady Constance Strachey, Letters of Edward Lear, London 1907, p. 11.
Edward Lear, Perugia, Italy.
Pen and brown ink and watercolour over pencil; inscribed lower right: near / Perugia / 7. September 1883 / 7.AM.; further inscribed with artist’s notes. 325 by 505 mm.
Lear drew this large pen and ink study during a visit to Perugia in September 1883. A late work, he skilfully depicts the ancient city with its patchwork of small streets and tiled roofs. Towering above the other buildings is the Basilica San Domenico, while in the distance the Umbrian hills can clearly be seen.
Provenance
With Agnew’s, London;
John, Lord D’Ayton (1922-2003);
thence by descent to the present owners
Exhibited
London, Sotheby’s, Edward Lear, An Exhibition of Works by Edward Lear from the D’Ayton International Collection, assembled by John D’Ayton, 2004, no. 8
Sotheby’s Old Master & British Drawings including French Masterworks from the Dormeuil Collection.
I periodically search a few online databases for new material relating to Edward Lear, and today’s search proved rather interesting, so here is something to look at while you are waiting for the return of Edward Lear’s Diaries, due to start again on 24 June.
Google Books now has both volumes of Lear’s Illustrated Excursions to Italy online, there may be limitations depending on the country you are accessing the archive from, you can certainly download PDFs from the USA: volume I, volume II.
On eBay, MJC Books is offering 12 original color plates by Edward Lear from the “Zoology of Captain Beechey’s Voyage: Ornithology.” Here is the seller’s description, followed by the eight pictures provided: they are rather small, but look better than what you get from Archive.org’s scanned book.
Offered here are the 12 original coloured plates of birds by Edward Lear from the ornithology section of the ‘Zoology of Captain Beechey’s Voyage’, together with the relevant text by N R Vigors, pages 13-40, all printed in facsimile.
All the plates are laid down and trimmed, 8 significantly. Seven have 2 punch holes in the blank inner margin, 1 is repaired, 1 has a faint fold mark and the centre an 1 has some browning. Some captions have been trimmed and pasted back onto plate margin. The actual coloured illustrations are bright and fresh looking. Its rare to find these original Lear Plates.
London: 1839. 290 by 205 mm, 11.5 by 8 inches. All bound in maroon cloth with gilt lettering to spine. The binding is in very good condition.
** Zoology of Captain Beechey’s Voyage; compiled from the Collections and Notes made by Captain Beechey, the Officers and Naturalists of the Expedition, during a Voyage to the Pacific and Behring’s Straits performed in His Majesty’s Ship Blossom, in the Years 1825, 26, 27, and 28. The complete ‘Zoololgy’ is illustrated with 44 coloured plates and is now a rare and valuable book **
This is the second surviving letter Edward Lear wrote to Angelo Maria Ricci, again mentioning a mysterious project to illustrate the seventh book of the Aeneid, which was never completed, and which ― from the tone of the letter ― Lear himself seems to have already placed on hold. He is sending a copy of his Views in Rome and Its Environs (London: Thomas McLean, 1841) to thank Ricci for help in finding contacts while travelling around central Italy. The letter is also at Biblioteca comunale di Rieti, Fondo Ricci, F=1=16/212.
1072d. Via Felice
Sabato sera. 22 marzo. 1845
Illustrissimo e stimatissimo Sigre Cavaliere,
Non avendo avuto la fortuna di trovarla in casa oggi ― (dove mi farò presto il dovere di ripassare per salutarla,) bisogna che ella prenda l’incommodo di leggere un altro biglietto mio barbarico ― e per dir vero ― giacché in questi mesi non ho parlato altro che Inglese, meglio sarà che mi spiega con la penna che a voce. ― Voleva dunque pregarla di accettare quella opera litografica illustrativa dei contorni di Roma, ― in segno della mia riconoscenza per la lettera da lei scritta con tanta bontâ e cortesia sopra il 7° libro di Virgilio. Pensando, durante l’inverno, di passare in Rieti con qualchi amici, sempre ritardai di mandare il libro, sperando di aver avuto il piacer di presentarlo in persona.
Ma intanto, essendo necessario il mio andare fra poco in Inghilterra, voglio profittare della sua presenza in Roma, di pregar la di farmi questo favore, accettando questa collezione di vedute in memoria che io sarò sempre grato per le sue bonta ― non solamente per la lettera, ma per tante altre amabilissime ospitalità.
Pensai di fare un viaggio per Norcia in Ascoli ― ma non sarà possibile quest’anno, e così, la povera “Nursia” andrà senz’esser illustrata. Piuttosto faro una scappata a Monte Circeo, Piperno, ed al Monasterio di Fossa Nuova, ― e se ella potrebbe indirizzarmi a qualchi autori ove fanno menzione di quel luogo interessante ˇ[(cioè Fossanuova)] mi farebbe un gran piacere. Per la vicinanza di Sermonetta, Norba etc. ― avrò ricordo al P. [Prefetto?] di Teano, che m’ha promesso il suo aijuto.
Non volendo più incomodarla colla mia scritturaccia, ma sperando dentro oggi o domani di salutarla, passo a sottoscrivermi,
Illustrissimo signor Cavaliere ―
Suo obbligatissimo ed affentuosissimo
Odoardo Lear.
1062do V. Felice
Lunedì
Edward Lear, Norba, 2 February 1840. Houghton Library, Harvard College Library.
And here is my translation:
107sd. Via Felice
Saturday night. 22 March. 1845
Illustrissimo e stimatissimo Sigre Cavaliere,
As I had the misfortune of not finding you at home today ― (and I shall dutifully come again for a visit,) you will be forced to read another one of my barbarous notes ― and to be honest ― as I have only spoken English in the last few months, you will be better off if I write than if I speak. I would be very pleased if you accepted my lithographic illustrations of the environs of Rome, ― as a token of my gratitude for the nice and kindly letter you wrote about Virgil’s 7th book. As I hoped to pass through Rieti with some friends during the winter, I delayed sending the book, hoping I would be able to present it to you in person.
But, as I shall have to go to England shortly, I shall take the opportunity afforded by your being in Rome to ask you to do me the favour of accepting this collection of landscapes as a reminder of my continued gratitude for your kindness ― not only for the letter, but also for your many generous kindnesses.[1]
I had thought of going to Ascoli via Norcia ― but this will not be possible this year, so poor “Nursia” will not be illustrated. I shall rather go to Monte Circeo, Piperno, and to the Monastery of Fossa Nuova, ― and I would be very grateful if you could suggest any authors who mention that interesting place ˇ[(i.e. Fossanuova)]. As for the surroundings of Sermonetta, Norba etc. ― I shall apply to the P. [Prefect] of Teano who promised to help me.
I do not want to bother you with my horrible handwriting, while hoping to be able to greet you today or tomorrow, I assure you I remain,
Illustrious signor Cavaliere, ―
Your obliging and affectionate
Edward Lear.
[1] “Ospitalità” literally means hospitality, but the context makes it clear that Lear never actually visited Ricci in Rieti.
In the letter to Angelo Maria Ricci I posted a few days ago Edward Lear refers to problems with his eyesight. Stephen Duckworth kindly e-mailed me about this:
I’ve just checked my list of (some of) his drawings by year and journey. He was active in October 1844 – I’ve a record from Houghton of a drawing at Leonessa 3 October, but then the next dated drawings I have found (again at Houghton) are in March 1845 when he did a whole series in the Alban Hills, commencing with Cicero’s Villa on 3 March. He then did a fresh series in the Volscian mountains from end of March to early April. Could either of these be linked to Virgil?
Edward Lear, Subiaco, 3 September 1844.
I could not find the Le0nessa drawing in the catalogue of digitized watercolours at Houghton, the last picture before 18 December (when Lear wrote) and 15 November (when the lost Ricci letter was written) is from Subiaco, dated 3 September. The next dated catalogue entry is Madonna del divino amore, 25 January 1845.
Edward Lear, Madonna del divino amore, 25 January 1845.
Both pictures might well be related to the Virgil project, as they are from the area around Rome where the events of the seventh book of the Aeneid take place, though the Madonna del divino amore is a very unlikely subject for such a work.
Indian Trees, Palms and Bamboos. An album of original watercolour drawings.
Sold at Sotheby’s, London, 14 May 2013:
Folio (484 x 300mm.), 19 original watercolour drawings, one of a Jay dated 1864, the others of various species of Indian and Sri Lankan trees in locations including Shimla, Ratnapura, Kozhikode, Delhi and elsewhere, mounted in a slightly earlier morocco gilt album, covers with inset marbled paper panels, contemporary red morocco lettering-pieces on upper cover and spine, the paper toned.
Provenance
Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven; thence by family descent
Catalogue Note
Striking studies of trees, made on a demanding journey begun late in Lear’s life. The trip was at the behest of Lear’s friend Lord Northbrook, viceroy of India, who supplied him £1,000 of commissions. In 1872, Lear’s first attempt to reach the subcontinent was abandoned at Egypt due to ill health, but he tried again the following year.
“In October 1873 Lear and [his servant] Giorgio Kokali left once more for India… This time the journey was uneventful, and they docked in Bombay in late November. It was the start of a fifteen-month journey in which they travelled from the west to the east, and from the north to the south of the subcontinent, fulfilling a rigorous itinerary for a man who was now in his sixties. When they reached Ceylon in November 1874, Kokali became ill with dysentery, and Lear realized that they had had enough; they sailed from Bombay in January 1875” (ODNB).
A Blog of Bosh 