The British Museum’s curator comments for no. 1970,0411 reads:
The following text is from the label for the display at the British Museum ‘Watercolours and Drawings by Edward Lear: a Bicentennial Celebration’:
In 1842 Lear made a tour of the Abruzzi, a region of central Italy, with his friend Charles Knight. Knight had given Lear riding lessons ‘round the walls of Rome’, and lent the artist one of his horses for the journey. In these drawings the artist makes fun of his poor horsemanship, with typical self-deprecating humour. They are part of a larger series that records the pair’s adventures in comic form.
The Museum’s acquisition note adds:
This item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45. The British Museum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era. From an album from the Hornby family sold at Christie’s, and subsequently broken up. The Department purchased 21 drawings.
So the missing pictures were perhaps still around in the 1930s and 1940s and may be in a private collection. This would have probably been the longest of Edward Lear’s picture stories recording a journey, though rather than on the journey, it concentrates on Lear’s own misadventures while learning to ride. The picture story has first been published in full in The Complete Verse and Other Nonsense, edited by Vivien Noakes, pp. 63-70; also see the note at pp. 479-480.
1. L. & K. leave Frascati — July 28.. 1842. — Villa Taverna
L. contemplates a ferocious horse with feelings of distrust
2. Frascati. V. Taverna.
L. declares that he considers his horse far from tame.
3. Frascati. V. Taverna.
L. casually seats himself on the wrong side of his saddle.
4. V. Taverna. Frascati.
L. changes position for the sake of variety.
5. — V. Mondragone. Frascati.
L. perceives he has not seated himself properly
6. — K. & L. Comence their journey.
L. is advised by K. to hold the reins short.
7. Frascati.Villa Mondragone.
L. is politely requested by K. to stop his horse.
8. M. Porzio.
K. enquires amiably of L. if his stirrups are sufficiently short.
9. — M. Porzio.
K. & L are pusued by6 an irascible ox. —
10. K. & L. pass M. Porzio & M. Compatri.
L. is requested by K. not to rise so exceedingly high from the saddle.
11. Monte Compatri.
L. descends an unsatisfactory hill in a pensive manner.
12. K. & L. pass Colonna.
L. is besought by K. to sit back on his saddle.
13. — Near Gallicano.
L. is immersed in an indefinite quigmire.
14. K. & L. arrive at Gallicano.
L. is informed by K that he had better put his feet nearer to his horse’s sides.
15. Ponte Lups: — near Gallicano.
K. entreats L. to observe a large vridge called Ponte Loophole.
[I read “Lups” but it must be “Ponte Lupo,” the most massive Roman aqueduct in the world (18m thick).]
[Five pictures missing.]
21. K. & L. proceed to Tivoli.
L. become suddenlyand imperceptibly entangled in an obtrusive Olive=tree.
[One picture missing.]
23. K. & L. visit the temple by Moonlight.
K. & L. discern a predominant Ghost.
[One picture missing.]
25. — Tivoli. — K. & L. commence their journey back to Frascati.
L. is confidentially assured by by the groom that he has mounted his horse incorrectly.
26. K. & L- pass through San Gregorio.
K. affectionately induces L. to perceive that a thorn-bush has attached itself to his repugnant horse.
27. K. & L. pass Casape & Poli returning by Gallicano to Zagarolo.
L. is much disturbed by several large flies.
[Five pictures missing.]
33. K. & L. proceed from Zagarolo to Frascati.
K. & L. are attacked by several very venomous Dogs in the vicinity of Colonna.
[More pictures missing?]
All images are ©Trustees of the British Museum and can be dowloaded at higher resolution from the Museum’s Online Collection.
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