Oliver Messel

Rashomon - A 1950 costume design for the New York Theatre by Oliver Messel

1959

RICHARD WESTALL, RA (1765-1836) Cupid Sleeping; from a poem of Mrs Robinson - The Duchess of Devonshire Discovers the Sleeping Cupid Watercolour on paper, oval 36 by 44.5 cm., 14 ¼ by 18 in. (frame size 55 by 66 cm., 21 ¾ by 26 in.) Exhibited: London, Royal Academy, 1792, no.448. Richard Westall was bon in Reepham, near Norwich. Initially apprenticed to a London silver engraving he began studying at the Royal Academy Schools from 1785 and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy between 1784 and 1836. Westall became an Associate member of the Royal Academy in 1792 and a full member in 1794. Westall painted in both oil and watercolour, his works being romantic and neoclassical in style. He contributing to both Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery and Fuseli’s Milton Gallery and was also a prolific book illustrator of both fiction and poetry including works by Sir Walter Scott and Byron, whose portrait he also painted. For a time he was also art master to the young Princess Victoria. This is probably Westall’s 1792 Royal Academy exhibit (no.448). The subject was inspired by the poem Cupid Sleeping by the poetess-actress Mary Darby Robinson, which had been published in the previous year. The poem was dedicated to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and the picture show the Duchess discovering the sleeping cupid who she then relieves of his bow and arrows. Mrs Robinson was not only the Duchess’s protégée but also the first public mistress of the Prince of Wales. William Nutter’s engraving of Westall’s picture was also dedicated to the Duchess of Devonshire. Close in a woodbine's tangled shade, The blooming god asleep was laid; His brows with mossy roses crown'd; His golden darts lay scatter'd round; To shade his auburn, curled head, A purple canopy was spread, Which gently with the breezes play'd, And shed around a soften'd shade. Upon his downy smiling cheek, Adorned with many a "dimple sleek," Beam'd glowing health and tender blisses, His coral lip...

NICO JUNGMAN (1872-1935) The Toy Boat Signed l.r.; Nico W Jungman Watercolour and bodycolour over traces of pencil Framed 44 by 32 cm., 17 ¼ by 12 ½ in...

STEPHEN BAGHOT DE LA BERE (1877-1927) The Sportsmen Signed Watercolour and pencil Framed 36 by 30.5 cm., 14 ¼ by 12 in. (frame size 48.5 by 43 cm., 19 by 17 in.) Baghot de la Ber...

MARIE PALMER-SMITH (1899-1997) Fabric Inspirations Signed and inscribed with title; bears artist’s studio stamp on the reverse Gouache on pen and ink on tinted paper Unframed in mo...

This beautiful exhibited watercolour painting is by Dutch listed artist Willem Leendert Bruckman. It depicts the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, South Porch. The Un...

Discover this watercolor "Sunset Sailors" by Carl L. Lindqvist (1856-1941). Step into the enchanting world of the Swedish artist Carl L. Lindqvist with his captivating watercolor pa...

Muskateer 28th Foot (Gloucestershire Regiment) 1746 in Watercolor on Paper A beautiful watercolor of a British Musketeer of the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, in full uniform standing with poise and readiness by English artist Clarence F. Bretherick (b. 1868). Signed lower right. Displayed in a rustic giltwood frame. Image, 12"H x 9"W. In 1892 Bretherick was appointed permanently on the Liverpool Weekly Post as artist to that journal, to be responsible for all illustrations therein. His great specialty was figure drawing, military figure subjects in particular. This particular watercolor is a fine example of his skill as an artist and his fine attention to detail. 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot. The regiment was first raised in 1694 by Colonel Sir John Gibson, the Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth, as Sir John Gibson's Regiment of Foot and was posted to Newfoundland to protect the colony there. They saw action in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succession...

Charming figurative landscape in a British town, with taxis pulling up to a hotel or apartment building to pick up and drop off passengers by B. Cook (English, 20th Century). Signed ...