Edward Lear, Dhows on the Nile.
Pencil and watercolour Dated ’29 Dec’ (lower left), numbered ‘161’ (lower right), colour notes throughout 6.5 x 22.5cm (2½ x 8¾ in.)
Provenance
The Ruskin Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon. The gallery label affixed verso dates the work to 1867, however a later inscription to the label notes there had later been a suggestion by Vivien Noakes that the work is earlier and dates to 1853, which would make it one of Lear’s first Nile trip pictures.
Edward Lear, Deir Kadige on the River Nile, Egypt.
Inscribed Deir Cadige March 14 sunset Dome orange, 66 x 151mm. Loosely laid down on an old mount, slight sporadic stains, undisturbed in old ebonised frame with, on the reverse, the trade label of H Isaacs Burton on Trent.
Edward Lear, letter to unknown recipient from Barzanò, Monza, of 28 July 1886:
The Post brings me a letter from the Tennyson Poet folk – about the “Break break” — & the “Lines to E.L.” And I think it would interest you to know what is written on the subject…
The other letter shown in the lot listing seems to be unrelated.
Edward Lear, San Buci, near Rome (Sambuci?).
Pencil on grey-brown paper, laid onto card, title and date ‘9 July 1840’ to lower right in pencil, pencil note to lower left ‘Ivy’, small loss at left lower corner, slight overall toning, sheet size 27.2 x 40 cm (10 6/8 x 15 3/4 ins), framed and glazed (45 x 56 cm).
Provenance
Collection of Michael and Megan Dawson. Having first established Greater London Arts in 1967, funded to promote culture in the London boroughs, Michael Dawson (1932-2022) became director in 1969 of the Yorkshire Arts Association. While running the YAA under the auspices of the Arts Council, Michael also founded the Ilkley Literature Festival, where he succeeded over the ensuing years in drawing in writers of international reputation, including W. H. Auden, Ted Hughes, Phyllis Bentley, Philip Larkin, , Ian McEwan, and Alan Bennett.
Edward Lear travelled throughout Italy, staying primarily in Rome, for a period of over four years between 1837 and 1841. During this time he built up a collection of landscape sketches which he used in the first and largest of his published travel books, Views of Rome and its Environs published in 1841 by Thomas M’Lean.
Edward Lear, View of Nuneham Elms, Stratton, Hampshire.
Edward Lear, View of the Nile at Es Shelaal, Egypt.
Inscribed and dated Es Shelaal/4-4.45 pm/28 Jany 1867 (lower left), numbered 249 (lower right), and further inscribed with colour notes throughout. Pencil, pen and brown ink, and watercolour, heightened with white 29.2 x 54.2cm; 11½ x 21¼in
Provenance
Mr and Mrs Charles Beecher Hogan, Woodbridge Connecticut, by 1960;
By descent to Peter Russell Spokes; By descent to Ann Spoke Symonds, Oxford
Exhibited
Connecticut, Yale University Art Gallery, Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture Collected by Yale Alumni, May-June 1960, no.180
This work dates from Edward Lear’s second trip to the Nile in 1867. At the beginning of January he travelled south from Cairo, meeting his Canadian cousin Archie Jones, at Luxor. On the morning of the 27th January he sketched at Aswan before making his way to Es Shelaal, where he executed the present work. He was still at Es Shelaal on the 29th and by the 30th was at the first cataract at Philae.
Edward Lear, Near Beni Suef.
Pen, ink and wash. Inscribed ‘near Benisouef. 14. March. AM 8-1854’ (lower left) and ‘Sky, at horizon, palest water pk(?)’ (lower right), and with colour notes throughout. 6.5 x 15cm (2½ x 5¾ in.)
Edward Lear, Near Kalàbshe.
Pen and ink and wash. Inscribed and dated ‘5.5pm. 16.Feby. 1867. near Kalabashe’ (lower left) and numbered ‘(500)’ (lower right). 7.5 x 15cm (2¾ x 5¾ in.)
Provenance
With Ryman & Co., Oxford
Bonham’s, London, Fine British and Continental Watercolours and Drawings, 7 March 2006, lot 85, where purchased by Robert Kime
Edward Lear, Pyramids.
Pencil and watercolour. Signed with monogram (lower right). 10 x 20cm (3¾ x 7¾ in.)
Edward Lear, Near Thebes.
Pencil and watercolour. Later signed with monogram and dated 1884 (lower right) and inscribed and dated ’19 Jany 1867′ (lower left). 8.5 x 17.5cm (3¼ x 6¾ in.)
Provenance
Guy Peppiatt Fine Art Ltd, London
