Gregorio Ferro

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Gregorio Ferro
The Armada of 1779: Four Scenes from the American War of Independence
two signed and dated lower left Ferro 1788
one inscribed: EMBARCO DE TROPAS ARTILLERAIY VIVERES/EN ELPVUERTO DE BREST PARA INVADIRA/INGLATERRA [Loading of troops, artillery, and supplies in Port Brest, preparing to invade England]; another inscribed: PERSIGVEN LAS ARMADAS CAMBENADAS DE ESPANA Y FRANCIA/EN EL CANAL DE INGLATERRA ALA ARMADA INGLESA QVE HVYEA/TODO TRAPO RENDIENDO DOS FRAGATAS EL NAVIO EL ARDIENTE [In the English Channel the combined armadas of Spain and France chase the English armada, which flees and surrenders two frigates to the ship Ardiente]; another inscribed: SE VNEN LOS NAVIOS DEL/REY CON LA ARMADA FRAN-/CESA A LA VISTA DE LA CORVÑA [The King's fleet joins forces with the French armada in the view of La Coruña]; another inscribed: SALEN HUIENDO DESPAVORIDAS LAS GEN-/TES DEL PVERTO DE PLIMOVTH A VISTA/DE LAS ARMADAS DE FRANCIA Y ESPAÑA [The people of Plymouth flee in terror at the sight of the armadas of France and Spain]
all oil on canvas

Provenance

With Richard L. Feigen & Co., New York;
From whom acquired by the present owners.

Condition

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The two larger paintings in this set of four are in very good condition. All four of the canvases have been recently lined with glue and surfaces are stable. Although the paint layers have been fairly recently cleaned and restored, the larger paintings only have retouches around the edges of the brown boarders of the pictures themselves and for the most part, they are in lovely condition with little or no abrasion or wear and tear. The condition of the smaller pair of paintings is not quite as good. There are losses to the brown background on both sides of the picture of the Armada at Coruña. The composition of Plymouth, has is a one and a half by one inch hole in the sky which has been restored and also some restorations here and there in the brown borders. Nonetheless, all four pictures of this charming set are generally in very respectable condition and should be hung as is.
"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."

Catalogue Note

These paintings depict four episodes concerning the so-called Armada of 1779, a joint French and Spanish fleet formed with the intent of invading England, a part of the wider conflict sparked by the American Revolution. On April 12, 1779, France signed a secret treaty with Spain to wage war against England. They planned to take advantage of the fact that Britain's Royal Navy was dispersed between America and the West Indies and in a weakend state. France had already allied itself with the Americans in 1778 and the Spanish, though not openly in support of America, hoped to regain certain territories from England, most notably the port of Gibraltar. The plan was set that, in May 1779, the two fleets would rendezvous, sail into the English Channel and destroy the British Home Fleet. A base would then be set up on the Isle of Wight or the mainland coast. The plan was ultimately unsuccessful and by September, with crews undersupplied and depleted by outbreaks of typhus and smallpox, the campaign was abandoned.

Another painting that appears to be from this same series is in the collection of the Museo de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain (see Fig. 1). That painting is also signed Ferro and dated 1788 and depicts Charles III Giving the Order for the Declaration of War Against England (oil on canvas, 43 by 28 cm.).