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Maas Gallery Commentary

Richard Ormond has kindly identified this painting as that which was sold as lot 12 in the artist’s studio sale in 1874, and exhibited at the Royal Academy, The Works of the late Sir Edwin Landseer, 1874, no 182 ‘lent by executors of Landseer estate’. The model was the artist’s friend, the famous Neoclassical Victorian sculptor John Gibson. Gibson lived and worked in Rome, only returning on two occasions, in 1844 and 1850. Landseer, who never visited Rome, could have met Gibson at Lady Eastlake’s house in London. Both artists were favourites of Prince Albert. The Royal Academy has a later portrait by Landseer of Gibson, with grey in his beard, which we may date to the 1850 trip, setting 1844 as the likely date for our picture, where the sitter is younger. Gibson was much admired, had a fine head and was often painted and sculpted by other artists. The striking pose of this painting is almost in parody of a proud Spanish hidalgo wearing 17th-century armour. Landseer’s almost signature scrape of white, effortlessly applied with the palette knife, perfectly catches the light on the breastplate, whilst the shadows add to the drama of his noble face.

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Last modified 16 June 2022