Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, R.A.

From an album of sketches by Landseer, Wilkie and Count D'Orsay compiled by Lady Ida Louisa Tankerville, daughter of Charles, 6th Earl of Tankerville and wife of John William, 13th Earl of Dalhousie;
Thence by descent to her grandson David Ramsay, by whom sold Christie's, 11 July 1962, lot 23;
Bought from Christie's by Dr Theodore Besterman who broke up the sketchbook and sold this drawing to Thomas Agnew & Son, where bought by Sir David Scott in 1973

London, Thomas Agnew and Sons, 100th Annual Exhibition of Watercolours and Drawings, January-February 1973, no. 192

Sheet: The sheet has not been laid down, but instead it is attached to a backboard at various points verso. In general it has not suffered from discoloration, however, around the extreme edges of the sheet, there is a subtle band of faint staining. This may have been caused by previous mounting. There are one or two soft creases at the upper left and lower right corners, however these are only noticable on very close inspection. Medium: The medium remains clear and bold. Frame: Held in a simple wooden frame
"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."

These two redoubtable characters give the lie to the thought that a new all-pervasive morality immediately gripped England during the early years of the reign of Queen Victoria.  Here both sitters are caught standing in a doorway listening perhaps to an amateur recital.  We meet Lord Alveney and Mrs Norton as if figures from one of Trollope's novels.  The first, a famous libertine and man of the turf whose giddy life dissipated his father's carefully acquired fortune; the second, the mistress of Lord Melbourne and authoress.  Both managed to maintain their position in society but some sense of the strain of this is caught by Landseer's quickly flowing pen.

We are grateful to Richard Ormond for his help in cataloguing this lot.