Old Master Paintings
Old Master Paintings
James Saxon
Portrait of the actor Andrew Cherry (1762–1812), bust-length, as Lazarillo
No reserve
Lot Closed
April 6, 03:39 PM GMT
Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
James Saxon
Manchester 1772 - circa 1819 London
Portrait of the actor Andrew Cherry (1762–1812), bust-length, as Lazarillo
oil on canvas
unframed: 58.9 x 46.9 cm.; 23⅛ x 18½ in.
framed: 70.5 x 57.7 cm.; 27¾ x 22¾ in.
The Woman's Auxiliary;
By whom gifted to the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina (as attributed to Sir Henry Raeburn).
An engraving of 1804 by Ridley, based on this portrait and inscribed 'Saxon Pinx', describes the sitter as 'Mr Cherry in Lazarillo', referring to the character Cherry played in Robert Jephson's farce published in 1791, 'Two Strings to your Bow'.1
Andrew Cherry was an Irish dramatist, songwriter, actor and theatre manager. Charles Matthews (1776–1835), comic actor and theatre manager, wrote of him: 'He is one of the most humorous men in the world off the stage, and a very good actor on it'.2 Cherry appeared as Lazarillo in Jephson's play at Drury Lane Theatre, where he performed from 1802 to 1807.
Another portrait of Cherry as Lazarillo, by Samuel de Wilde, is recorded in an engraving of 1806 by Bond.3 Samuel de Wilde also depicted the actor as 'Item' in Thomas Holcroft's The Deserted Daughter, in a painting today in the Garrick Club, London.4
2 A.J. Matthews, Memoirs of Charles Matthews, Comedian, London 1838, vol. I, p. 109.