73

HENRY RODERICK NEWMAN

American, 1843-1917

View of Florence, 1877

oil on canvas
signed and dated lower center "HR Newman / 1877"
26 x 36 in. (66 x 91.4 cm.), Frame: 34 x 44 x 2 in. (86.4 x 111.8 x 5.1 cm.)

  • Provenance: Ben Bidwell & Co., Private Collection, Illinois; given to Joseph F. Elliott by his employer, above, in the 1920s; inherited by Marie Elliott (nee Bass), his second wife; inherited by her stepdaughter, the owner's mother, in 1965; inherited by present owner in 2002
  • Literature: Royal W. Leith, "A Quiet Devotion: The Life and Work of Henry Roderick Newman", (New York, New York: The Jordan-Volpe Gallery), 1996, exhibition history p. 116 [unlocated]; Royal W. Leith, "New Light on Henry Roderick Newman as an Oil painter: Recent rediscoveries" in "The Magazine Antiques", October 2007, p. 106.
  • Notes: There is a related watercolor in the collection of the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena, California titled "Florence, Duomo from the Mozzi Garden", 1877 (object no. 86.40).

    According to Royal Leith author of "A Quiet Devotion: The Life and Work of Henry Roderick Newman", there are only six located oil paintings by the artist. Three of them are in public collections. We are grateful to Royal Leith for his assistance cataloging this lot.

    Henry Roderick Newman first visited Florence in 1870. Inspired by the abundant architectural monuments and the beauty of the surrounding countryside, he made the Italian city his home until his death in 1917. The present lot is a rare oil-painting by the artist who is widely admired as a watercolor artist. In this painting, Newman chose the grounds of the Villa Mozzi near his own home in the Piazza dei Rossi. Erica Hirshler in "The Lure of Italy: American Artists and the Italian Experience, 1760-1914" discusses a watercolor painting of a similar view done the same year. She notes that the view from the Mozzi garden was "recommended to travelers who sought a panoramic vista of the city nestled into the neighboring hills." She goes on to say that Newman in particular favored the vista as it "enabled Newman to combine his two favorite themes, plants in their natural surroundings and the architecture of Florence." As Hirshler notes, Newman gave equal attention to his depiction of Brunelleschi's dome as to the foliage in the foreground of the work. Newman, an American Pre-Raphaelite, followed Ruskin's teachings that every object was of equal beauty. The present work features the same attention to detail achieved in his watercolor paintings showing his adept handling of both media. Only a handful of oil paintings by the artist are recorded, including a small view of Venice in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and a monumental painting of the Gulf of Spezia in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Newman's technique of using tiny brush strokes to render every detail of the subject is uniform throughout the composition. The effect is a view of the city where everything is in focus as if viewed through a sharp lens.
  • Condition: in good overall condition; lined onto a new stretcher; scattered restoration visible under UV, mostly in the sky; additional photos available upon request; the original stretcher retains the Venetian label below and inscription in pencil: ELLIOTT / WO(O)DMERE

    CONDITION REPORTS FOR THE AUCTION ARE AVAILABLE BY REQUEST. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A CONDITION REPORT ON THIS LOT. THE ABSENCE OF A CONDITION REPORT OR THE ABSENCE OF A REFERENCE TO DAMAGE DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THE LOT IS IN GOOD CONDITION OR FREE FROM RESTORATION OR REPAIR.

    We are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Shannon’s is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Frames on all paintings are sold "As Is". Frames may need some conservation. 
    NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE. 

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