Live Auction 5490Travel, Science and Natural History
Luigi Mayer (1776-1803)
Lot 164

Luigi Mayer (1776-1803)

Veduta del Villaggio di Nadr,con l'Imboccatura del Canale di Minuf; Veduta Sopra il Nilo Nelle Vicinanze di Nedssili con la Barga, che Tragetta all' Altra Sponda; and Veduta del Borgo di Fue in Distanza, e la Maniera di Tirare le Barche per il Nilo

Closed23 September 2010

Price Realised

GBP 8,750

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Luigi Mayer (1776-1803)
Veduta del Villaggio di Nadr,con l'Imboccatura del Canale di Minuf; Veduta Sopra il Nilo Nelle Vicinanze di Nedssili con la Barga, che Tragetta all' Altra Sponda; and Veduta del Borgo di Fue in Distanza, e la Maniera di Tirare le Barche per il Nilo
all inscribed as titled, two signed and dated 'L.Mayer pinxit 1792', the third signed with a monogram (lower left), and numbered 'Egypt 6, 7, and 9' (lower right)
pencil, watercolour and bodycolour on paper
18½ x 24¾in. (47 x 62.7cm.) (3)

Sir Robert Ainslie; Christie's, London, 11 March 1809.

Specialist note

Sir Robert Ainslie (circa 1732-1812), an enthusiastic antiquarian and ambassador to the Sublime Port between 1776 and 1792, employed Mayer as his personal artist during his posting, Mayer travelling to Constantinople in the early 1780s to begin his commissions. In 1796 Mayer accompanied Ainslie on his return to England and settled with his family in London. It was then that his drawings were engraved by Thomas Milton (1743-1827) and compiled into three volumes of aquatints published by Robert Bowyer as Views in Egypt... (1801), Views in Palestine... (1802), and Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly Caramania... (1803).

In 1809 Ainslie sold his collection of original drawings by Mayer, a large number of which are now in the Searight Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.