- 214
Attributed to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick
- A large album of landscape drawings, circa 1765
- Twenty-seven sheets, one double sided, twelve just pencil, the remainder a combination of blue, grey and brown ink heightened with washes over pencil, on thick, watermarked laid paper, bound in original brown leather boards, the cover decorated with a label, inscribed in brown ink: Old Drawings
- The Album: 495 by 645 mm
Including studies of castles, trees, lakes, rivers, mountainous valleys and other subjects
Provenance
George, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746-1816);
by family descent to the present owner
by family descent to the present owner
Condition
The drawings that are contained in this present album are very well preserved. The paper is robust and the pigments, having not been exposed to light, are in excellent condition. The leather boards at worn and have some losses.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
The drawings within this large-scale and fascinating album can be attributed to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick and are thought to have been made circa 1765. The Greville family were steeped in the 18th-century art world. George’s father, the 1st Earl, was a patron of Canaletto, while his brother-in-law was Sir William Hamilton, the British Ambassador to Naples and an important patron and collector. George’s brother, the Hon. Charles Francis Greville was a noted mineralogist and horticulturist and is credited with bringing the secret of aquatint to England. One of George’s sisters Louisa Augusta, later Lady Churchill, was a distinguished etcher and all three siblings are thought to have taken drawing lessons from both Alexander Cozens and Paul Sandby. George was particularly interested in William Gilpin’s ideas of ‘the picturesque’ and indeed when commenting on Lord Warwick’s taste, Gilpin wrote that it was ‘wholly [sic] of the sublime kind, formed upon the mountains and lakes of Switzerland and Cumberland’1 The present album, which very much conforms to these tastes and ideas, was housed at Warwick Castle until 1978, since when it has remained with the family until now.
1. K. Sloane, ‘A Noble Art’, Amateur Artists and Drawings Masters c. 1600-1800, London 2000, p. 198
1. K. Sloane, ‘A Noble Art’, Amateur Artists and Drawings Masters c. 1600-1800, London 2000, p. 198