Live Auction 17185The Collector: European and English Furniture, Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures & Works of Art
A PAIR OF IRISH GEORGE II EMBOSSED BIRD PICTURES
Lot 264 PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE LORD AND LADY JOHN CHOLMONDELEY (LOTS 263 - 268)

A PAIR OF IRISH GEORGE II EMBOSSED BIRD PICTURES

BY SAMUEL DIXON, CIRCA 1755

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GBP 15,000

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A PAIR OF IRISH GEORGE II EMBOSSED BIRD PICTURES
BY SAMUEL DIXON, CIRCA 1755
One depicting the white-headed parrot with grapes and nine leaves, the other the canary-bird and a wasp among anemones, polyanthus, hyacinths, tulips and jessamin, with printed dedications 'To the Right Honourable the / Countefs of KILDARE, / This PIECE, in BASSO RELIEVO, is Dedicated by / Her LADYSHIP'S / Most humble and Obedient Servant, / SAMUEL DIXON / The WHITE-HEADED PARROT...', the other with paper label printed '... Countess of CORK, / This PIECE, in BASSO RELIEVO, is Dedicated by / Her LADYSHIP'S / Most humble and Obedient Servant, / SAMUEL DIXON / THE Bird, represented in this Piece, is called the CANARY BIRD...', each in original black and gilt-japanned frame, the parrot signed on the reverse 'GH / Friday April 15th 1757' (for Gustavus Hamilton), the canary-bird signed 'GH'
11 ¼ x 15 ¼ in. (28.5 x 38.5 cm.)

Acquired by Sir Philip Sassoon Bt (d. 1939), Trent Park, or Lord and Lady John Cholmondeley, and thence by descent.

Specialist note


These basso relievo pictures are two from Samuel Dixon's second and more ambitious set of twelve bird pictures, the so-called Foreign and Domestick Birds. They differed from the 1750 set in size and in the complexity of their compositions, some featuring as many as three birds, insects, flowers and fruit, and shells and corals. Faulkner's Dublin Journal reported on 21 August 1753 that 'Mr Dixon of Capel-street, is designing a most curious large set of Pictures', but it was not until 9 September 1755 that they were finished and ready for distribution to subscribers. Whereas the earlier set had carried a single dedication, each of the twelve now carried an individual dedication represesenting a distinguished roll-call of the Irish gentry. The works were offered in ebonised and gilt-japanned frames which survive in the present lot.