Richard Doyle

The Duchess of Cleveland, London (according to a paper label on the reverse)
Private Collection
Maas Gallery, London

London, Grosvenor Gallery, 1878

Christopher Wood, Fairies in Victorian Art, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2000, illustrated p. 33

This watercolour is in very good condition overall; there is some darkening and discolouration on the extreme edges. Under UV, two small spots of restoration fluoresce in the sky to the left of Thor.
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.

Early in the nineteenth century, a playful tradition of painting emerged that provided an escapist fantasy for a newly-industrialized England. The earliest visions can be seen in the work of William Blake as he took visual cues and inspiration from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Shakespeare continued to provide limitless inspiration for artists throughout Victorian times. Likewise, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson exposed British audiences to German and Danish mythology, while Greek and Norse mythology also provided ample subject matter for illustrations and standalone works of art.
In the present work, Richard Doyle illustrates a powerful Thor emerging from the clouds to rid the Scandinavian landscape of the mischievous dwarfs. Odin, Thor's father, had seen that the dwarfs were wreaking havoc on mankind by uprooting crops and turning seeds into stone, and decreed that they be sent en masse underground to work in the mines.

Doyle contributed frequently to Punch magazine, and is most celebrated for illustrations of the grotesque and fantastic. Faeries, elves, pixies and other mythical creatures populate his imaginative landscapes, and the present lot is an excellent example of his work and an icon of the genre.