Louisa Hare, Chaffinch Bird Nest & Eggs, 1832, Watercolour

Description

An original 1832 watercolour painting, Louisa Hare, Chaffinch Bird Nest & Eggs from Life.An outstanding large natural history painting, dating … more An original 1832 watercolour painting, Louisa Hare, Chaffinch Bird Nest & Eggs from Life.An outstanding large natural history painting, dating from 1832. The sheet is in wonderfully clean and bright condition, due to having been well preserved in a Victorian album. The subject was 'Drawn from the Forsaken Nest of a Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, In May 1832', with an accompanying Emperor moth.The artist is believed to be Louisa Hare (1776–1853), who resided at Whittern, a large estate at Lyonshall in Herefordshire. Louisa Hare was sister of Catherine Johnstone née Brome (1775–1833), who commissioned the pictures in our collection Sublime Landscapes: Peak District & North Wales 1832.Interestingly, in 1839, the young naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace OM FRS (1823–1913) lived for a time at Kington, less than three miles from Lyonshall. It was at Kington, inspired by the natural landscape and flora around him, that Wallace began to develop an interest in natural history subjects—especially geology, astronomy, and botany—and he became associated with the newly formed Kington Mechanics' Institution.In watercolour with gum arabic to intensify the colour. On Turnbull Superfine London Board with blindstamp upper left. Signed: No. Inscribed: Inscribed lower centre. Dated: Dated lower centre. Height: 37.1cm (14.6″) Width: 29.1cm (11.5″) Condition: In good condition for its age. The picture may have minor imperfections such as slight marks, toning, foxing, creasing or pinholes, commensurate with age. Please see photos for detail.There are historic adhesive marks and/or paper remnants to the verso, from previous mounting. Presented: Unframed. less