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19th Century European Art and Old Masters
|
- Sale 2084
Live
| Philadelphia
Nov 7 | 10:00 AM EST
Live
| Philadelphia
Sale 2084
| Philadelphia
| Philadelphia
Estimate$3,000 – $5,000
Bears a Royal Institute of Oil Painters, London, label on the frame reverse.
Provenance:
John Moffatt, London
Gifted by the above to the present owner, 2012
Lot note:
The present self portrait was at one point owned by John Moffatt (1922-2012), a British character actor and playwright. Moffatt was known for his portrayal of Hercule Poirot on BBC Radio in twenty-five productions and for a wide range of stage roles in the West End from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was a collector of early theater ephemera and had shared the stage with Ernest Thesiger (1879-1961). Upon Moffat's death, the portrait was gifted to the present owner.
Ernest Thesiger was an actor primarily known for the two films he made with director James Whale, The Old Dark House (1932) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). He was also a tremendously popular and successful figure on the London stage, one of Bernard Shaw’s favorite actors. Thesiger and William Bruce Ellis Ranken were lifelong friends and Ernest was married to Janette Ranken, the artist's sister.
Framed: 41 1/2 x 26 3/4 inches.
Significant deposits of surface dirt and dust; canvas is not lined and is moderately distorted; network of craquelures throughout; one small paint loss at lower center right in foreground; spots of inpainting visible under strong light within the man's coat and pants. Under UV light: inpainting in the brim center of the man's hat;, as well as the aforementioned spots of inpainting in the coat and pants, as well as additional strokes of inpainting within the pant legs; a thin stroke of inpainting along the length of the cane; small areas of inpainting scattered through the background, as well as one larger area of inpainting in the center left, within the red of the tapestry. Additional images available upon request.
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Please email madalinalazen@hindmanauctions.com for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.
To request further details about this lot, please email madalinalazen@hindmanauctions.com
Madalina Lazen
VP Head of Department, Old Masters & 19th Century European Art
