English School

signed or inscribed 1841 / E. Gustave Girardot / âge de XI ans

Mrs. Helen Langford Brooke, Mere Hall, Knutsford, Cheshire

By whose executors sold, Mere Hall, Knutsford, Cheshire, Christie's, May 23, 1994, lot 273, as English School, 19th century 

Painting is relined. Under a thick glossy varnish. The painting may be hung in its present state. There is nice retention of coloration and impastos. Under raking light one can see a slight uneveness in the surface running from the bottom of the lion's chin down through the snake's body. This may be due to the relining. From top to bottom in the center of the canvas two lines are visible, which could be either the canvas seams or folds made at some point to transport the painting more easily. These imperfections in the canvas surface are not at all disturbing. The glossy varnish makes the painting difficult to read under UV. In an elaborately carved and giltwood frame with some minor chips to the gilding, but overall the frame is in a very lovely state for its size and its age.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to the inscription, this composition was painted by the English artist Ernest Gustave Girardot at the age of eleven.  While certainly a talented painter, it is unlikely that the artist, who began exhibiting in 1860, would have been able to paint such a dynamic scene at such a young age.  The quality of this work is certainly indisputable, and it seems to have been painted by an artist under the influence of James Northcote (1746-1831), who was working near Mere Hall (see Provenance) in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.