Last Glimpse of First Nations
21st February 2024
Three watercolours by an artist acting as a 19th century paparazzi have sold at auction for nearly £36,000.
Irish born William W Armstrong emigrated to Canada in 1851 and his drawings and watercolours were used by weekly periodicals to illustrate news and events in the colonies. A composition of the Wolseley Expedition in 1870 featured on the front page of the Canadian Illustrated News.
The three watercolours included in the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas auction at Woolley and Wallis depicted three scenes of First Nation peoples at various stages of a buffalo hunt. Armstrong was particularly interested in the native populations of north America and travelled to Lake Superior in 1859 to study the areas as yet unpopulated by Europeans.
“Because of his technical background and connection with the press, Armstrong’s works demonstrate specific and accurate attention to detail,” explained specialist Will Hobbs. “These paintings are contemporary records of a way of life that was under threat by settlers and would soon be unrecognisable. They’re a perfect snapshot in time and therefore offer huge appeal to collectors and historians in this area.”
A similar set of watercolours was presented to the Prince of Wales when he visited Toronto in 1860, and these remain in the Royal Collection. According to notes accompanying the watercolours sold in Salisbury this week, the three paintings were acquired by Thomas George Fardell when he visited the US in 1861. They have remained in the family ever since and have never been offered for sale until now. Fardell was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, before being called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1862. He was the MP for Paddington South between 1895 and 1910 and was knighted in 1897.
“The continuous provenance and market freshness of these pictures also added to their desirability,” continued Hobbs. “There are examples of his works in many public collections across Canada and north America but far fewer examples appear in Europe. That these three watercolours exceeded their expectations to such an extent is testament to the importance placed on the subject matter of his works and their significance in recording this period of American and Canadian history.”
The three pictures sold on 20th February for a premium inclusive £35,910 to three separate buyers in the UK and the US.
