Premier Auction - Session II
Sat, Mar 26, 2022 09:00AM EDT
Lot 967
Sir John Watson Gordon
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
(Scottish, 1788-1864)
Portrait of Alexander Wilson (1766-1813), apparently unsigned, period label preserved panel verso, Scottish colourman labels verso, oil on panel, 13 x 10 in.; fine period carved gilt wood and composition frame, 18-1/4 x 21-1/4 in.
Note: On the original frontispiece to Wilson's epic poem The Foresters: A Poem, Descriptive of a Pedestrian Journey to the Falls of Niagara, in the Autumn of 1804. [Whitefish, Mont.]: [Kessinger Pub.], 2008, is an engraving after this painting with the caption "Painted by John Watson Gordon from the original picture of Wilson in his sister's possession, engraved by W.H. Lizars". It also apparently appears in various editions of Wilson's American Ornithology, the tome that Wilson first published in 1808, and the reason he is considered to be the founder and most important figure in American Ornithology.
Provenance: Thomas Roddick Auctions, Great Britain, 2006; Donald A. Heald Rare Books, New York, NY
Condition
slight warp to panel, areas of bituminous craquelure, small scattered areas of retouch; frame with wear commensurate with age
