James Fairman

Anonymous sale, Christie's, New York, 14 March 1986, lot 30;

Anonymous sale, Sloans and Kenyon, Chevy Chase, MD, 25 September 2009, lot 1506;

Anonymous sale, Matsart Auctioneers and Appraisers, Jerusalem, 17 March 2010, lot 1;

Anonymous sale, Doyle, New York, 15 November 2023, lot 1003.

Born in Scotland to a military father originally from Sweden, from the age of six years James Fairman lived in the USA, where he practised as a painter, teacher, art critic and soldier. 

After studying at the National Academy of Design in New York, in 1861 Fairman enrolled as a volunteer to fight with the United States Army during the Civil War. Forced to resign from the army because of his impetuous nature, he returned briefly to New York, where he took part in the exhibitions of the National Academy and the American Watercolor Society. However, he was regarded as an outlier and decided in 1871 to travel to Europe. He was also one of the first American artists to visit Palestine. During the few months he spent in the Middle East, Fairman produced many landscapes, often bathed in dramatic light. The present painting, dated 1873 and situated in Jaffa, is a fine example.