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Rediscovered Painting Sells for £180,000

18th July 2022.

An important lost British Impressionist painting sold for £180,000 (plus buyer’s premium) in Tennants Auctioneers’ British, European and Sporting Art Sale on 16^th July. 'In a Ligurian Garden' by Henry Herbert La Thangue (1859-1929) was recently rediscovered in Yorkshire, having been passed down through the Prince-Smith family, manufacturers of textile machinery from Keighley, West Yorkshire. Henry Herbert La Thangue RA (1859-1929) was one of the leading exponents of British Impressionism, who depicted the rural ideal, first in Sussex and later in unspoiled gardens of the French and Italian Riviera. The present work was hung in the Royal Academy in 1908, with its companion picture ‘Ligurian Flowers’, now in the Blackburn Art Gallery. Ligurian gardens became a major theme of his work before the outbreak of war, in which he distilled the natural abundance and sensuality of Italy in works infused with sunlight and the scent of flowers and fruit set amongst crumbling plaster.

H.H. La Thangue 'In a Ligurian Garden'
Henry Stacy Marks 'Pelican'
Follower of Alonso Sanchez Coello (1531 1588) 'Portrait of Eleanor of Austria (by repute)'
Manner of Campin (c.1375 1444), 'Lamentation of Christ'
Hugh Douglas Hamilton 'Portait of Miss Davy, Granddaughter of Francis Fitz William, Lady Carbery
Attributed to John Frederick Herring Snr (1795 1865), 'The Flying Dutchman'
Robert L Alexander (1840 1923), 'Standing grey horse in a stable'
John Atkinson (1863 1924), 'Horse Fair, possibly Appleby'

An impressive depiction of a Pelican by Henry Stacy Marks (1829-1898) sold well, too, at £18,500. Henry Stacy Marks began his career focusing on historical scenes, frequently sourced from Shakespeare; however, in 1888 the Fine Art Society planned an exhibition on birds, and Marks took the opportunity to study the subject in depth, becoming a frequent visitor to London Zoo. Drawing birds with accuracy, and focusing on exotic and colourful species, Henry Stacy Marks mastered the art of ornithological painting.

Further notable lots included a Portrait of Eleanor of Austria (by repute) by a follower of Alonso Sanchez Coello (1531-1588), which sold for £8,500, a Lamentation in the Manner of Campin (c.1375-1444), which sold for £4,500 and a pastel portrait of Miss Davy, Granddaughter of Frances Fitz William, Lady Carbery by Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1739-1808) which sold for £3,000.

A good offering of equine paintings in the sale were led by ‘The Flying Dutchman’, attributed to John Frederick Herring Snr. (1795-1865), which sold for £7,000. Also selling well were a painting of a grey horse in a stable by Robert L Alexander (1840-1923) (sold for £4,500), and ‘Horse Fair, possibly Appleby’ by John Atkinson (1863-1924) (sold for £5,500).

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £330,780 with an 83% sold rate for 131 lots.

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