Live Auction 4826Travel, Science and Natural History
REVERSE GLASS PAINTING OF A PURPLE EMPEROR
Lot 12

REVERSE GLASS PAINTING OF A PURPLE EMPEROR

JAMES DUTFIELD (C.1716-57), CIRCA 1748

Closed25 April 2012

Price Realised

GBP 4,000

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REVERSE GLASS PAINTING OF A PURPLE EMPEROR
James Dutfield (c.1716-57), circa 1748
reverse glass painting of Apatura iris with two parasitic insects, signed twice, once etched in the glass the other inked on backing paper James Dutfield Pinxit, in a felt lined fishskin case with three brass clasps.
4½in. (11cm.) wide in case

Specialist note

Very little is know about James Dutfield, save for his incredibly rare six fascicles A new and complete history of English moths and butterflies, known only in two copies (Natural History Museum, London and the Bavarian State Library, Munich). His project was possibly abandoned due to competiton from Benjamin Wilkes. No other of his paintings are known despite a praising obituary notice in the Bristol Journal 23 April 1757: 'London, April 17th. A few days ago died at Brentford the ingenious Mr James Dutfield of a parallytic stroke. He was esteemed the greatest Artist in Europe for Painting on Glass'.