.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Sir Osbert Sitwell described Rowlandson as ‘the greatest master of pure line that England has had the good fortune to produce’ (O. Sitwell, Famous Watercolour Painters, VI - Thomas Rowlandson, London, 1929, p. 7). The present watercolour, depicting a game of faro at Devonshire House, the London residence of the 5th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, Georgiana, is among Rowlandson’s most accomplished watercolours and demonstrates the artist’s technical virtuosity, as well as his ability to encapsulate the essence of the period in which he lived.
Georgiana (1757-1806), an inveterate gambler, has been captured in the act of throwing dice, one of which is hanging, dramatically in mid-air, while her sister Harriet, Lady Duncannon (1761-1821), takes money from her purse. The seated young man on the right is the Prince of Wales, identified by the Star of the Order of the Garter, while to the left, a hapless lady is being offered a loan by an admiring officer.
Rowlandson was himself a keen gambler; his obituary in the Gentleman’s Magazine, stated that he was well known at ‘many of the fashionable gaming houses’ and apparently on one occasion, ‘such was his infatuation… he continued at the gaming table nearly thirty-six hours’. Conversely, his obituary also noted that despite his weakness for gambling, ‘he was scrupulously upright in all his pecuniary transactions and ever avoided getting into debt. He has been known, after having lost all he possessed, to return home to his professional studies, sit down coolly to fabricate a series of new designs’.
Georgiana was hailed as one of the most compelling beauties of her time and the scandals of her marriage, in particular the ménage a trois with Lady Elizabeth Foster, served only to increase her exposure and fame. She was fêted by the writers, poets and artists of the day and was painted by Reynolds, Gainsborough (fig. 1), Kauffman and Downman amongst others. Her social position meant that she wielded an enormous influence both on her close circle of friends and beyond to the general populace. Her inspired sense of fashion led her to create many of the most celebrated styles of the era, such as the three foot high ostrich feather head-dress which she first adopted shortly after her marriage in 1774. Perhaps her best remembered sensation however was the ‘picture hat’, a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a sash and feathers, in which she was first depicted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1785 and which she and her sister are shown wearing in the present watercolour.
Georgiana became the most celebrated hostess of the period; however her ambitions extended beyond the role of society hostess and in 1778 she began to involve herself in politics. From 1780, she campaigned publicly for the Whig party, led by her close friend Charles James Fox (1749 – 1806). She was not the only woman to become involved in politics, but her easy nature and beauty, made her especially popular with the general public. Her popularity with the ordinary people shocked her contemporaries, who were appalled that she treated them as equals, listening and discussing policies and even driving them in her carriage to cast their votes. During the 1784 Westminster campaign, matters were brought to a head and Georgiana was accused of selling kisses for votes. The press, cartoonists and pamphleteers all hounded her, portraying her as corrupting the voters. Despite Rowlandson’s evident regard for the Duchess, he was unable to resist such subjects and she featured in a number of caricatures exploring the subject, such as The Devonshire, or Most Approved Method of Securing Votes, 1784 (Metropolitan Museum, New York, fig. 2),.
The present watercolour appears to show Georgiana at the height of her fame and beauty, but in reality by 1791 Georgiana’s personal life was in turmoil. Her gambling debts were out of control: she was over £60,000 in debt and constantly had to borrow money from friends. The previous summer, her close political involvement backfired and she and her family spent the summer in France to escape recriminations over Georgiana’s role in the Regency Crisis. Finally, Georgiana, who had been involved in a passionate affair with Charles Grey since 1789, became pregnant by him and in November, she was forced into exile by her husband.
Rowlandson depicted Georgiana in several other watercolours, including another of his most celebrated works, Vauxhall Gardens, 1784 (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, fig. 3). Six years later, Rowlandson created a highly sensitive, double portrait of Georgiana and her beloved sister Harriet (Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, fig. 4). Another version of the present drawing is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and one was sold Sotheby’s, London, 11 November 1993, lot 52.
The vagaries and intrigues of fashionable society were irresistible to Rowlandson and he has perfectly captured the social milieu in this drawing. The obvious regard with which he held Georgiana and her sister has moderated his usual acerbic pen and prompted him to create a work of unusual sympathy and elegance.
Georgiana (1757-1806), an inveterate gambler, has been captured in the act of throwing dice, one of which is hanging, dramatically in mid-air, while her sister Harriet, Lady Duncannon (1761-1821), takes money from her purse. The seated young man on the right is the Prince of Wales, identified by the Star of the Order of the Garter, while to the left, a hapless lady is being offered a loan by an admiring officer.
Rowlandson was himself a keen gambler; his obituary in the Gentleman’s Magazine, stated that he was well known at ‘many of the fashionable gaming houses’ and apparently on one occasion, ‘such was his infatuation… he continued at the gaming table nearly thirty-six hours’. Conversely, his obituary also noted that despite his weakness for gambling, ‘he was scrupulously upright in all his pecuniary transactions and ever avoided getting into debt. He has been known, after having lost all he possessed, to return home to his professional studies, sit down coolly to fabricate a series of new designs’.
Georgiana was hailed as one of the most compelling beauties of her time and the scandals of her marriage, in particular the ménage a trois with Lady Elizabeth Foster, served only to increase her exposure and fame. She was fêted by the writers, poets and artists of the day and was painted by Reynolds, Gainsborough (fig. 1), Kauffman and Downman amongst others. Her social position meant that she wielded an enormous influence both on her close circle of friends and beyond to the general populace. Her inspired sense of fashion led her to create many of the most celebrated styles of the era, such as the three foot high ostrich feather head-dress which she first adopted shortly after her marriage in 1774. Perhaps her best remembered sensation however was the ‘picture hat’, a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a sash and feathers, in which she was first depicted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1785 and which she and her sister are shown wearing in the present watercolour.
Georgiana became the most celebrated hostess of the period; however her ambitions extended beyond the role of society hostess and in 1778 she began to involve herself in politics. From 1780, she campaigned publicly for the Whig party, led by her close friend Charles James Fox (1749 – 1806). She was not the only woman to become involved in politics, but her easy nature and beauty, made her especially popular with the general public. Her popularity with the ordinary people shocked her contemporaries, who were appalled that she treated them as equals, listening and discussing policies and even driving them in her carriage to cast their votes. During the 1784 Westminster campaign, matters were brought to a head and Georgiana was accused of selling kisses for votes. The press, cartoonists and pamphleteers all hounded her, portraying her as corrupting the voters. Despite Rowlandson’s evident regard for the Duchess, he was unable to resist such subjects and she featured in a number of caricatures exploring the subject, such as The Devonshire, or Most Approved Method of Securing Votes, 1784 (Metropolitan Museum, New York, fig. 2),.
The present watercolour appears to show Georgiana at the height of her fame and beauty, but in reality by 1791 Georgiana’s personal life was in turmoil. Her gambling debts were out of control: she was over £60,000 in debt and constantly had to borrow money from friends. The previous summer, her close political involvement backfired and she and her family spent the summer in France to escape recriminations over Georgiana’s role in the Regency Crisis. Finally, Georgiana, who had been involved in a passionate affair with Charles Grey since 1789, became pregnant by him and in November, she was forced into exile by her husband.
Rowlandson depicted Georgiana in several other watercolours, including another of his most celebrated works, Vauxhall Gardens, 1784 (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, fig. 3). Six years later, Rowlandson created a highly sensitive, double portrait of Georgiana and her beloved sister Harriet (Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, fig. 4). Another version of the present drawing is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and one was sold Sotheby’s, London, 11 November 1993, lot 52.
The vagaries and intrigues of fashionable society were irresistible to Rowlandson and he has perfectly captured the social milieu in this drawing. The obvious regard with which he held Georgiana and her sister has moderated his usual acerbic pen and prompted him to create a work of unusual sympathy and elegance.