John Scarlett Davis

Commissioned by John Hinxman (d. 1846);
Sold by order of his executors, London, Christie's, 25 March 1848;
Miss C. O'Connell, Durant House, Northam;
National Westminster Bank Ltd.;
By whom sold anonymously ("The Property of an Institution"), London, Sotheby's, 14 July 1993, lot 102.

London, Royal Academy, 1834, no. 400;
London, British Institution, 1836, no. 475 (as 'Interior of Florence Gallery');
London, Colnaghi's & Co., Paintings by Old Masters, 1956, no. 34.

G. Watkin Williams, "The Life and Works of John Scarlett Davis (1804-1845)", in The Old Water-Colour Society's Club, 1970, Vol XLV, pp. 20-21

Engraved
Views of Florence and other parts of Italy, published by Houghten & Co. of London, and Rittinger & Goupil of Paris.

The catalogue illustration in representative. The painting appears to be in good condition, with no apparent damage or loss of paint. There are some old retouchings in the lower centre, to the gallery floor, beneath the varnish layer, and there is some retouching to craquelure in the upper right, all visible under close inspection. The canvas has been sensitively lined, without overly compromising the surface of the paint. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals scatter retouching and infilling to craquelure overall. Although this is quite plentiful in palaces it is all minor and there does not appear to be any major structural damage. This retouching is particularly found in the pale pigments of the right hand gallery wall, and in the lower left. The picture is held in a carved and gilded wooden frame in good overall condition. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com.
"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."

The son of a watchmaker, Davis was sent to London in 1818, where he studied at De La Pierre's Academy in Hackney, before training in the Royal Academy schools. In August 1833 the artist travelled to Italy and was in Florence throughout the Autumn and Winter of 1833-4. During this time he painted many views of Florence, some of which were engraved for his Views of Florence and other parts of Italy, published upon his return by Houghten & Co., in London, and Rittinger & Goupil, in Paris. Notable among this set is an engraving of the present painting, which was purchased by the merchant John Hinxman, one of the artist's most important patrons. By the time of his death in 1846 Hinxman owned 489 works by Davis, the majority of them direct commissions, including views of Canterbury, Greenwich, Malines and Paris.  

Many of the paintings and statuary depicted in the Long Gallery can be identified, and include, from the left, a large altarpiece by Barocci of The Madonna del Popolo, followed by an unidentified work by Veronese, a Canaletto of the Grand Canal, Venice, and a second Veronese of The Martyrdom of St. Giustina. Below these are a Self Portrait by Reynolds, commissioned by the Grand Duke of Tuscany and presented to the gallery by the artist himself in 1775, beneath which is Veronese's Assumption of the Virgin, together with Rubens's portraits of himself and his first wife Isabella Brandt. The unframed portrait of a Cardinal resting against the floor is probably by Van Dyck. On the left, behind the sketching lady is the famous Venus dei Medici, now in the Belvedere, whilst next to the portrait of a cardinal is a bust of Alexander the Great, on a pedestal. Next to this, set into a pedestal upon which stands the figure of an angel in marble, is the famous tondo by Michelangelo of the Virgin and Child, now in the Bargello, whilst at the far end, by the window is Bandinelli's copy of the Laocoön.  

As well as being a painter of portraits, landscapes and church interiors, Davis developed a particular speciality for painting the interiors of art galleries. Other examples of such works include his Interior of the British Institution Gallery of 1829; The Art Gallery of the Farnese Palace, Parma, painted in 1839 (private collection); Lord Byron in the Palazzo Mocenigo; and Rembrandt in his studio. In 1834, the same year he exhibited this painting at the Royal Academy, he also exhibited an Interior of the Louvre at the British Institution, and between 1842 and 1845 he was commissioned to draw copies of the paintings in the British Royal Palaces.