Jakob Bogdány Eperjes circa 1660 - 1724 London

Tythrop Park sale, London, Christie's, 27 April 1995, lot 112.

"The following condition report has been provided by Sarah Walden, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has a comparatively recent lining and stretcher. The restoration is from the same period, about half a century ago, and the natural resin varnish is now quite mellow, but the fairly extensive strengthening retouching has not changed and is still well integrated. There are some old accidental damages in the upper background but not in the birds themselves. One quite large filling, or possible canvas insert, is about two by three inches in the upper left background, with some other small damages around the head of the cockerel, another short horizontal line is in the sky above the castle, with another above the red flying bird. The rather widespread surface retouching is to reinforce thinner areas, including the birds themselves but mainly the foreground surrounding the animals, evidently from old wear. However the overall surface is rather finely unified with well preserved gentle tonal balance and much detail in good condition, such as the cockerel's head and many of the other birds and aspects of the landscape. This report was not done under laboratory conditions."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The painting can be dated to the artist's full maturity, circa 1710-1720, when he was firmly established as the leading bird painter in England.  Bogdani had arrived in England in 1688, having spent about five years as a still life painter in Amsterdam, after leaving his native Hungary, perhaps as a result of religious persecution.  He was to spend the rest of his life in England, marrying an Englishwoman, Elizabeth Hemmings, in 1693, and becoming a naturalised Englishman in 1700.  He was patronised by the Royal family, painting in 1694 flower decorations for Mary II's Looking-glass Closet in the Water Gallery at Hampton Court and later painting pictures for Queen Anne, who was 'pleas'd with his performances, and encourag'd him much'.¹ Of particular significance in his stylistic development was his relationship from circa 1703 with Admiral George Churchill (1654-1710), younger brother of John, Duke of Marlborough, who kept numerous exotic birds, brought to England by the Admiral's naval friends and contacts, in aviaries in his house, Ranger's Lodge, near Frogmore, Windsor.  Bogdani painted numerous large canvases of Churchill's birds, several of which were purchased from his executors by Queen Anne.

 

1  C.E. Jackson, Bird Painting - The Eighteenth Century, Woodbridge 1994, p. 34.