John James Masquerier

LOT 97 PROPERTY OF A NEW YORK GENTLEMAN JOHN JAMES MASQUERIER, R.A. CHELSEA 1778 - 1855 BRIGHTON SELF PORTRAIT, AGE 15 8,000—12,000 USD three quarters length, standing at a desk in front of anarcitectural background, wearing a dark coat, breeches and a whitevest, holding a crayon in his right hand oil on canvas

DESCRIPTION three quarters length, standing at a desk in front of an arcitectural background, wearing a dark coat, breeches and a white vest, holding a crayon in his right hand oil on canvas PROVENANCE Baroness Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906), 1 Stratton Street and Holly Lodge, Highgate, bears her inventory no. on the reverse: 26 Her husband The Rt. Hon. W. Burdett-Coutts, M.P., ([deceased] Sale, London, Christie's, May 4, 1922, lot 49) EXHIBITED London, Royal Academy, 1795 Manchester, "Art Treasures" Exhibition, 1857 London, National Portrait Exhibition, 1868 LITERATURE AND REFERENCES E. Benezit, Dictionnaire des paintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs, vol. 7, Paris, 1976, p. 240. CATALOGUE NOTE John James Masquerier was a prolific portrait painter, whose oeuvre includes at least 400 portraits painted over the course of twenty-eight years. Born in England to French parents, Masquerier received his early training in France under the tutelage of both François Vincent and Vernet. He fled France during the Reign of Terror and settled in London where, in 1796, he became a student and assistant of John Hoppner, and his style was influenced by the work of Raeburn and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Said to have been painted when the artist was only fourteen or fifteen years old, this self-portrait is quite an ambitious work for such a young painter. Masquerier has chosen to depict himself at work, standing confidently in front of his desk, holding his crayon in his hand. This calls to mind the great tradition of "artist in his studio" self portraits by masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. The date of 1795 that is inscribed on the reverse does call the age of the artist into question, as he would have been seventeen, not fifteen at the time. Nonetheless, the artist's youthful, boyish face belies the accomplishment of the finished work, which he presented much later in his life as a gift to Baroness Burdett-Coutts, one of his most important patrons. Indeed, the work still bears her inventory number on the back. Baroness Burdett-Coutts was the grand daughter and heiress of Thomas Coutts, the famous 18th century banker. Together they amassed an impressive collection of manuscripts, porcelain, and Old Master Paintings. After the death of her husband William Burdett-Coutts in 1921, the collection was sold at auction by Christie's. In addition to the present work, seven other paintings by Masquerier were featured in the sale, including two portraits of the Baroness.

Special NoticeNo VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. Lot Description John James Masquerier (London 1778-1855 Brighton) Portrait of a young boy, three-quarter-length, in school uniform, holding a black hat in his left hand, in a landscape oil on canvas 30 x 25 in. (76.3 x 63.5 cm.) Lot Notes View Lot Condition Report Born in Chelsea in 1778, and of French origin, Masquerier studied in Paris under the tutelage of Vincent and Carle Vernet. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in London in 1792, later working as Hoppner's pupil and assistant, who undoubtedly was of significant influence on the young artist. He later travelled to Scotland, where he met Raeburn, whose style also sought to emulate. Masquerier soon became a popular portraitist to fashionable society, moving in theatrical and artistic circles.

John James Masquerier (1778-1855) Portrait of Marianne Langham (1772-1809), small full-length, seatedin a white dress holding an open book in her right hand oil on board 23 x 21 in. (58.4 x 53.3 cm.) Literature R.R.M. Sée, Masquerier and his Circle, London, 1922.p.210. The sitter was the second daughter of Sir James Langham, 7thBt., of Cottesbrook, Northamptonshire, and Juliana, sister and soleheiress of Thomas Musgrave, of Old Cleeve, Somerset. Masquerierpainted the sitter's mother in the same year, 1805, as well asother family members between 1805 and 1845.