That 'Bronte discovery' (ctd.)
July 25 2017
Picture: JP Humbert Auctioneers
Back in 2012 AHN reported on a claimed portrait drawing of the Bronte sisters, which was said to be by Landseer. It was being offered for sale in a regional English auction house, but was then withdrawn, and no more was heard of it. Now it has been offered again at auction, and sold for £50,000. You can see for yourself the evidence that the three sitters are the Bronte sisters here. I can't say I find it immediately convincing. And I think it's tellint that neither 'Landseer' nor 'Bronte' appeared in the artist and title description. It was sold just as a;
Feminist Masterpiece - A delightful and charming watercolour portrait study on 'rag' paper of three young ladies C1838 with superlative facial detail.
Update - a reader writes:
I agree that the evidence for the picture being by Landseer or of the Bronte sisters is not perhaps conclusive.
However, it is an example of exemplary marketing by Humberts which other auctioneers might learn from. Auctioneers are the agents of the vendor. It is their duty to do their best by their principal. Auctioneers are not museums (tho viewings are more interesting than some museum visits), nor are they art historians publishing academic works on the lots they try to sell (tho some catalogues are just that).
One can be amused by an estate agent’s description of an average Victorian box as ‘historic’ and by some catalogue descriptions, whist in awe at the effectiveness of the professional service provided.
