Old Masters, British, European Paintings & Portrait Miniatures - 15th March 2017
Lot 391
Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA (1769-1830) and Studio Portrait of a gentleman
Estimate £5,000 - £10,000 | Hammer £5000
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Description
Sir Thomas Lawrence PRA (1769-1830) and Studio
Portrait of a gentleman, possibly Beau Brummell (1778-1840)
Oil on canvas
77 x 64cm; 30 x 25in
Provenance:
An English Private Collection
Beau Brummell, the famous Regency Dandy and once great friend of the Prince Regent, was known for his classically influenced 'Titus', wind-blown haircuts and elaborately tied stock with dark-coloured, stylish, woollen tailcoats which helped change forever the way an Englishman dressed.
It has long been a puzzle to art historians why Sir Thomas Lawrence, who painted almost everyone of note in the extended Regency Period, had apparently not painted a portrait of Beau Brummell, when this iconic man of fashion, celebrated for his looks and style, enjoyed unprecedented fame during this period.
This recently rediscovered portrait of a gentleman by Lawrence and Studio would appear to show an extraordinary similarity to one of the handful of very different known images attributed as Brummell