- 130
Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A.
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 USD
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Description
- Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A.
- The Fortress of Seringapatam, from the Cullaly Deedy Gate
- Watercolour over pencil, original wash-line mount;
inscribed on the mount lower centre: CULLALY DEEDY, or water-gate in the Outer rampart of SERINGAPATAM, where TIPPOO SULTAUN [sic] resided during the Siege. -;
further inscribed verso: memory of happy days in Pudukkotai / Feb / 1960 / Douglas Barrett - 420 by 650 mm
Provenance
Douglas Barrett (1917-1992);
given by him to the Maharaja of Pudokkotai, 1960;
Private Collection, since circa 1975
given by him to the Maharaja of Pudokkotai, 1960;
Private Collection, since circa 1975
Literature
A. Wilton and D. Blayney Brown 'The Siege of Seringapatam', Turner Studies, His Art & Epoch 1775-1851, Summer 1988, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 59;
H. Mallalieu, 'Turner to Tipu,' Country Life Magazine, September 2012, pp. 146-7
H. Mallalieu, 'Turner to Tipu,' Country Life Magazine, September 2012, pp. 146-7
Condition
Laid down on an early 19th century mount. Overall the paper has slightly yellowed. Some surface dirt especially along the right margin. Very slight foxing and staining scattered. Some rubbing along the upper and lower edges and in the middle ground. Sold mounted and framed in a modern gilded frame. Colors are better than Image in the catalogue.
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.
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.
Catalogue Note
In this large watercolor Turner depicts part of the mighty fortress at Seringapatam, which lies some eight miles north of Mysore and two hundred and fifty miles south-west of Madras. In the foreground a British soldier, dressed in his red and white regimental uniform, reclines on the banks of the River Canery. On a sun-drenched plain beyond, a lively procession, revolving around a person being carried on a litter, is in progress. In the distance, guards quietly patrol the city's imposing battlements, while above, several birds wheel in a clear sky.
Tipu Sultan made Seringaptam his capital and it was described at the end of the 18th Century, as the 'the richest, most convenient and beautiful spot possessed... by any native Prince of India.'1 He, and his father before him, had fought valiantly against the British during the Anglo-Mysore wars, a conflict that erupted in 1766 and was to rumble on for the following thirty-three years. In May 1799, however, the British sent 21,000 men, under the command of General Sir David Baird, to storm the fortress. The decisive victory that followed not only resulted in the death of Tipu Sultan himself but also led to Lord Harris declaring that 'Now India is ours!'.
Back in England, news of the victory was greeted by an enthusiastic public. India in general and the siege in particular were highly fashionable topics of conversation and many artists responded to this. Turner was no exception and he created the present work in circa 1800, as part of a series of four watercolors revolving around this theme. The remaining works from this group are entitled: The Siege of Seringaptam (Tate Gallery), Hoollay Deedy, or new Sally-port in the Inner Rampart of Seringaptam (Clark Art Institue, Williamstown), and The Residence of the Mysore Rajah within the Fort of Seringapatam, during the Last Three Years of his Confinement (Private Collection).
As Turner had never visited the sub-continent himself he relied on sketches taken 'on the spot' by amateur draughtsman. Intriguingly, in the collection at Tate Britain there is a watercolor study by Turner of this same view, which clearly acted as an intermediate stage in between the present, finished work, and the amateur topographical sketch.
The present watercolour was once owned by Douglas Barrett, a former Curator of Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum. After many visits to India, Barrett gave the work to the Maharaja of Pudokkotai, whose family then sold it in the 1970s to the present owner.
1. Tigers Around The Throne, The Court of Tipu Sultan (1751-1799), Zamana Gallery, London, 1990, p. 9
Tipu Sultan made Seringaptam his capital and it was described at the end of the 18th Century, as the 'the richest, most convenient and beautiful spot possessed... by any native Prince of India.'1 He, and his father before him, had fought valiantly against the British during the Anglo-Mysore wars, a conflict that erupted in 1766 and was to rumble on for the following thirty-three years. In May 1799, however, the British sent 21,000 men, under the command of General Sir David Baird, to storm the fortress. The decisive victory that followed not only resulted in the death of Tipu Sultan himself but also led to Lord Harris declaring that 'Now India is ours!'.
Back in England, news of the victory was greeted by an enthusiastic public. India in general and the siege in particular were highly fashionable topics of conversation and many artists responded to this. Turner was no exception and he created the present work in circa 1800, as part of a series of four watercolors revolving around this theme. The remaining works from this group are entitled: The Siege of Seringaptam (Tate Gallery), Hoollay Deedy, or new Sally-port in the Inner Rampart of Seringaptam (Clark Art Institue, Williamstown), and The Residence of the Mysore Rajah within the Fort of Seringapatam, during the Last Three Years of his Confinement (Private Collection).
As Turner had never visited the sub-continent himself he relied on sketches taken 'on the spot' by amateur draughtsman. Intriguingly, in the collection at Tate Britain there is a watercolor study by Turner of this same view, which clearly acted as an intermediate stage in between the present, finished work, and the amateur topographical sketch.
The present watercolour was once owned by Douglas Barrett, a former Curator of Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum. After many visits to India, Barrett gave the work to the Maharaja of Pudokkotai, whose family then sold it in the 1970s to the present owner.
1. Tigers Around The Throne, The Court of Tipu Sultan (1751-1799), Zamana Gallery, London, 1990, p. 9