A First Rate Ship of the Line Firing Cannon off the Coast
Original Oil Painting on Canvas c.1790
by Thomas Luny (1759-1837)
- Auction Record - $150,000 USD
- Signed lower left
- Painting - 36cm (14") x 30.5cm (12")
- Frame - 52cm (20 1/2") x 47cm (18 1/2")
Lot Notes
An incredibly fine oil painting on canvas depicting a Trafalgar period first-rater by highly regarded marine artist Thomas Luny. The ship in the foreground is firing it's cannon, presumably saluting the arrival of a further ship heading in, the scene contains a good deal of activity with numerous figures and small rowing boats and with a highly detailed depiction of the first-rater in the foreground. The painting is a very fine early example of the work of this well known marine painter; it is a good size and has a strong and detailed composition. The painting dates to the early 1790's when Luny was working in the Deptford area and is a very fine example of his early work. The painting is signed lower left, the paint around the signature is thin and the signature is somewhat indistinct however it can be made out on close inspection. Luny's best work sells for up to £72,500 at auction and comparable paintings have sold in recent years for in excess of £20,000. Probably one of the most important paintings currently being offered for sale on eBay.
Luny's work realises many thousands of pounds at auction, please see the photograph section of this listing for recent examples.
Condition
The painting remains in very fine condition, the canvas lined in the mid/late 20th century and not subsequently torn patched or repaired. There are light accretions of dirt and grime, fine craquelure in certain passages and the paint layer thinning in places though with generally good impasto. Examination under ultra violet reveals extensive overpainting to the sky in the upper fifth of the painting however all of the detail of the painting is original and restorations are confined to the background. Overall the painting is in good condition, attractive and ready to hang. The painting is presented in a later giltwood frame which is in good condition though with imperfections.
Artist Information
Thomas Luny, born in Cornwall, probably at St Ewe, was an English artist and painter, mostly of seascapes and other marine-based works. At the age of eleven, Luny left Cornwall to live in London. There he became the apprentice of Francis Holman, a marine painter who would have a great and long lasting artistic influence on Luny: Luny remained until 1780 in Holman's London studio, which, was first situated in Broad Street, St. George’s, and later relocated to Old Gravel Lane. In September 1777, Luny left Holman's studio for a while, to journey to France. During this particular expedition, Luny almost certainly strayed from France itself; his first exhibited picture in London, seen at the Society of Artists that same year, was given the title A distant view of the island of Madeira and Porto Santo, suggesting that an engraving had inspired his choice of subject. Similarly, it is unlikely that Luny was on hand for the Battle of the Nile, 1798, and the bombardment of Algiers, 1816, both of which he illustrated with dramatic atmosphere and credible realism. After leaving Holman's studio in 1780, Luny moved to Leadenhall Street during 1783. It was around this time that Luny was frequently exhibiting at the Royal Academy, in a total of twenty-nine exhibitions between 1780 and 1802. In Leadenhall Street, Luny became acquainted with a "Mr. Merle", a dealer and framer of paintings who promoted Luny's paintings for over twenty years, to great success. Luny also found a wealthy source of business in Leadenhall Street, where the British East India Company had their headquarters; their officers commissioned many paintings and portraits from Luny. This relationship between the Company and Luny also had several non-monetary benefits for Luny; it seems probable that, considering the great detail and realistic look of many of his sketches of locations such as Naples, Gibraltar, and Charleston, South Carolina, Luny was occasionally invited as a guest on the Company's ships on special occasions and voyages. Several years later, in 1807, Luny decided to move again, this time to Teignmouth in Devon. While he received a number of commissions (mostly from ex-mariners, local gentry and the like), and he seemed to be as successful in his work as he was in London, Luny was by that time suffering with arthritis in both of his hands. This, however, did not seem to have much impact on the quality of his artistic work, and it did not appear to serve to slow or deter him in his work in the slightest. In fact, he continued painting until his death on September 30, 1837. His work is exhibited at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, and in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. It is estimated that he produced over 3,000 works in his lifetime, with over 2,200 between 1807 and his death.
General Information
Hang your investments on the wall
Art has long been regarded as a strong and safe investment. Ellen Kelleher a personal finance reporter for The Financial Times recently wrote an article recommending art, particularly in the $500 - $50,000 range as a sound long term investment with an impressive current average annual increase of 9.7 percent. See Hang your investments on the wall by Ellen Kelleher Published October 22 2010 by the Financial Times.
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Priory Fine Art specialises in high quality 17th - 20th Century British and European Fine Art. Our team have a combined experience of over 80 years in the field of fine art and have together handled the sale of many millions of pounds worth of art. As well as our own team of specialists we have close contacts from the leading auction houses who often assist us with particular pieces.
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- where the bold coloured text which forms the listing's heading reads 'by' and is followed by the artist's full name (or the artist's initials, if his full name is unrecorded), the work is in our opinion by the artist;
- where the expression "attributed to" is used, the work is in our opinion possibly a work by the artist, in whole or in part;
- where the expression 'circle of' is used, the work is in our opinion a work of the period of the artist and showing his influence;
- where the expression 'follower of' is used, the work is in our opinion a work executed in the artist's style but not necessarily by a pupil;
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- where the term "after" is used, the work is in our opinion a copy or pastiche (of any date) of a work by the artist. Where the term 'signed...' is used in our opinion the work has been signed by the artist, where the term 'with signature...' or 'bears signature...' is used in our opinion the signature is by a hand other than that of the artist.
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