Thomas Dove

Agnew's, London;
The Parker Gallery

The canvas has been relined. The paint surface is slightly dirty and has a thick varnish. There are also traces of craquelure throughout. Ultraviolet light reveals infilling throughout the sky and above the horizon; the aforementioned varnish prevents a more conclusive reading. Held in a plaster gilt frame in fair condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparatively little is known of Thomas Dove; the Liverpool census suggests he was born in Whitby in 1811-12 and Benezit states that he was a pupil of George Chambers Senior (1803-1840) who was working in the area prior to 1820.  It seems likely that Dove initially found employment, as a painter, in the expanding shipyards on the Mersey and apart from exhibiting at the Liverpool Academy, several prints of his work survive. Sadly, it seems the demands of a wife and seven children meant he could never entirely focus on an artistic career.

The present work shows a variety of vessels off the Liverpool waterfront. An Agnew lithograph of the work provides the attribution to Thomas Dove.  His obituary in the Whitby Gazette describes a painting as ,'...the scene on the Mersey on the occasion of one of the visits of the Duke of Edinburgh.  Mr. Dove considered this picture his masterpiece...'  Considering the scale and quality of the present work it is perfectly possible that this is the masterpiece being referred to.

We are extremely grateful to Sam Davidson for his assistance with cataloguing the present work.