Samuel Scott

Commissioned by Sir William Courtenay, 3rd Bt. (1709-1762), later 1st Viscount Courtenay.

London, Guildhall Art Gallery, Samuel Scott Bicentenary; Paintings, Drawings and Engravings, 1972, no. 12 (as A Sloop-Rigged Yacht in a Calm)

The Powderham Account Books "15th March 1739 Paid to Samuel Scott the ship painter, in full £68.5.0." (a reference to the present painting);
M. Girouard, "Powderham Castle I", Country Life, July 4^th 1963, Vol. CXXXIV, p. 20 (illustrated hanging in the Gold Drawing Room);
R. Kingzett,  "Catalogue of the works of Samuel Scott", Walpole Society, Vol. XLVIII, 1982, no. 1R, p. 22 

STRUCTURE The canvas has been lined. PAINT SURFACE There is an extensive old tear, lower right, to which there is some minor visible retouching. There are a small number of minor visible retouchings lower centre. Otherwise the painting appears to be in good condition. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light confirms the retouching mentioned above and reveals scattered minor retouching and strengthening, predominantly to the sky. There is one area of slighlty larger retouching to the lower edge of the ensign flag, in the lower centre of the canvas. FRAME Held in a carved and gilded, British Baroque frame. For further information please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com.
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Samuel Scott's earliest and most important patrons included Robert Walpole and his son Horace, the latter of whom owned eight of Scott's paintings and often encouraged his friends to buy the artist's work. The commission for the present work may well have been arranged by Sir William Courtenay's son, William, 2nd Viscount Courtenay, an ardent admirer of Horace Walpole. The ship depicted is believed to be the Neptune, the predecessor of the Dolphin, both of which were the Courtenay family's private yachts. On board Sir William can be seen presenting himself to the captain, having just come on board, whilst the crew fire a one gun salute in honour of the ship's owner.  

Such vessels were obviously highly prized possessions in the early eighteenth century, as is evident from the present painting. The Courtenay's yacht was a particularly sumptuous and elegant example, a fact which is corroborated by entries in the family accounts which record commissions, some as early as 1728, made by Sir William to the young Thomas Hudson to paint sea pieces to go over the fireplaces in the ship's cabin.