John Frederick Lewis, R.A.

The following condition report has been prepared by Jane McAusland ACR FIIC, or Nether Hall Barn, Suffolk IP14 4PP: Support This watercolour has been executed upon a sheet of buff toned paper and as the sheet has been exposed to the light for probably a considerable amount of time it has darkened somewhat, and mount stains have developed mostly beyond the image on all sides. There is a little scattered foxing visible towards the foot of the sheet. At present the sheet is hinged into a mount at the top. There are a few damages on the left and foot edges of the paper and a crack in the sheet towards the top edge above the left-hand sitter, and a small edge tear above this. There are several tapes visible both on the recto and verso of the sheet. Medium Some of the more delicate pigments may be a little faded but on the whole the colour is strong. There is a little cracking in places in the gum Arabic. As the paper has darkened the contrast between the white bodycolour and the paper is much greater than intended by the artist. Conservation Note It would be possible to lighten the paper which would greatly enhance its appearance and remove the acidity from the sheet. Approximate Estimate: £1,200.00 to £1,500.00 Plus VAT @ 20%
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John Frederick Lewis spent nearly ten years between 1841 and 1851 living and working in Egypt. The city of Cairo and the desert of Sinai were his inspiration. Although he lived within the walls of Cairo itself, Lewis travelled into the desert to sketch the Bedouin people and their way of life and he greatly enjoyed these sojourns. He once hailed the desert as a place where there was 'no crowd to jostle you; solemn contemplation of the stars at night, as the camels were picketed, and the fires and the pipes were lighted' (see Major-General Michael Lewis, John Frederick Lewis R.A., London 1978, p. 23).

The present work is typical of the drawings he executed at this time. A similar drawing entitled Study of Three Arabs is in a British private collection (see Eric Shanes, The Golden Age of Watercolours, London 2001, p. 115, no. 74), while a watercolour entitled Study of Bedouins by a Dwelling was formerly in the Ingram collection.