Old Master & British Drawings Sale

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Lot 270
  • 270

Julius Caesar Ibbetson

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
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Description

  • Julius Caesar Ibbetson
  • The catching of a shark
  • Watercolour over traces of pencil, heightened with pen and black ink, unframed:
    inscribed in pen and black ink, on the backboard: Inside of the Vestal Frigate / Capt Sir R. Strachan / catching of a Shark 16 ½ feet long / John Hawker, Carpenter hit down by its tail - / By J Ibbetson in 1793 - / who went out as Draughtsman / with the English Embassy to China; further indistinctly inscribed in pencil

Provenance

With The Fine Art Society, London, by 1968, by whom sold in 1968 to Walter Brandt

Condition

The watercolour pigments in this work have faded slightly, and the paper has discoloured somewhat. Along the upper edge of the sheet there are five very small areas of pigment loss. In a raking light it is possible to see several very minor scratches and rubbed areas to the surface of the sheet. The work has not been laid down.
"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."

Catalogue Note

The present drawing was inspired by Ibbeston's experiences onboard the twenty-eight gun frigate Vestal in 1787 and 1788.  In 1787 he was appointed personal draughtsman to Colonel, the Hon. Charles Cathcart (1759-1788), who, as British ambassador to the Imperial Court at Peking, was sent to China.

Under the command of Sir Richard Strechan Bt. (1760-1828), the Vestal set sail in December 1787. The mission proved to be long, arduous and ultimately a disaster. Upon reaching Java, by the middle of 1788, Colonel Cathcart and three others died. With the death of the ambassador the Vestal was forced to return home, finally doing so on the 9th October 1788. While on board, Ibbeston recorded the characters and habits of the sailors and the exotic marine life. Of particular comparable interest to the present sheet is his The Landing of a Shark aboard 'Vestal' (York City Art Gallery).1

1. J. Mitchell, Julius Caesar Ibbetson (1759-1817), The Berchem of England, London, 1999, p. 60