Note 1) According
to Algernon Graves Dictionary of Artists (3rd
edition, 1901), Beechey exhibited at the Royal Academy 372 times, thus,
significantly exceeding Sir Joshua Reynolds, RA (247 times), Sir Thomas
Lawrence, PRA (311 times), Thomas Gainsborough,
RA (96 times) and John Hoppner, RA (147 times), all of whom were his
competitors among the ranks of the best English portrait painters of this time.
However, notwithstanding his prodigious artistic endeavors, Beechey had time
and expended his energy on other activities. With his two wives, Mary Ann Jones and Ann Phyllis Jessop he had 21 children between 1784 and 1822.The
following Beechey biographical information is taken from Wikipedia:
Sir William Beechey (12 December 1753 – 28 January
1839), English portrait-painter, was born
at Burford, the son of William Beechey (*1732)
and Hannah Read (*c1732).
Life
He was originally meant for a conveyancer, but a strong love
for painting induced him to become a pupil at the Royal Academy in 1772. Some of his
smaller portraits gained him considerable reputation; he began to be employed
by the nobility, and in 1793 became associate of the Royal Academy. In the same year he was made
portrait-painter to Queen Charlotte. [1] His work has been described
as relatively sober.[2]
He painted the portraits of the members of the royal family,
and of nearly all the most famous or fashionable persons of the time. What is
considered his finest production is a review of cavalry, a large composition in
the foreground of which he introduced portraits of George
III, the
Prince of Wales and the Duke
of York, surrounded by a brilliant staff on horseback. Among his
portraits were those of Lord
Nelson, John Kemble,
and Sarah Siddons.[1]
George III and the Prince of Wales reviewing troops was painted in 1798, and obtained for the artist the
honour of knighthood, and his election as RA (member
of the Academy).[1] This painting was destroyed
in the 1992 Windsor
Castle fire.”
Note 2) The few Beechey portraits that have appeared at
auctions have not faired as well at auction during the recession of 2008 to the
present. A major and very significant exception
to this is, that on 7/5/2011, the record-setting auction price of $774,087
for a Beechey portrait was achieved
by Christie’s London for the Portrait of George Douglas, 16th
Earl of Morton, K.T. (see below). This
very esthetically appealing, nicely framed portrait depicting the beautiful Lady Elizabeth
Cole, that is in very good condition and
the Beechey auction records below
warrant the conclusion that the presale estimates of $10,000 to $15,000 is
reasonable and justified. This estimate provides an opportunity for a sophisticated
art collector to acquire a very handsome portrait of a beautiful woman of quality, painted c. 1800 by one of the leading English portrait
painters of the 18th and early 19th century, Sir William
Beechey, RA, and to make an excellent investment, which will only increase in
value as the world climbs out of the present recession, which is almost
inevitable at some time in the not too distant future.
Note 2) The few Beechey portraits that have appeared at
auctions have not faired as well at auction during the recession of 2008 to the
present. A major and very significant exception
to this is, that on 7/5/2011, the record-setting auction price of $774,087
for a Beechey portrait was achieved by Christie’s London for the Portrait
of George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton, K.T. (see below). This very esthetically appealing, nicely framed portrait
depicting the beautiful Lady Elizabeth Cole, that
is in very good condition and the Beechey auction records below warrant the conclusion that the
presale estimates of $10,000 to $15,000 is reasonable and justified. This
estimate provides an opportunity for a sophisticated art collector to acquire a
very handsome portrait of a beautiful woman
of quality, painted c. 1800 by one of
the leading English portrait painters of the 18th and early 19th
century, Sir William Beechey, RA, and to make an excellent investment, which
will only increase in value as the world climbs out of the present recession,
which is almost inevitable at some time in the not too distant future.
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Title/Subject: Portrait of George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton, K.T Unsigned.
Oil on canvas. 93.7
in. x 56.5 in. sold for $774,087 on 7/5/2011 at Christie’s London
Title/Subject: Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 35.5 in.
x 27.2 in. sold for $46,000 on 5/19/1995 at Sotheby’s, NY
Title/Subject: Portrait Of Lady Godolphin Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 49.8 in.
x 39.6 in. sold for $34,141 on
7/072010 at Christie’s London
Title/Subject: Portrait Of Miss Jane Roxby Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 29.5 in.
x 24.5 in. sold for $19,950 on 1/28/1999
at Sotheby’s, NY
Title/Subject: (AFTER SIR WILLIAM
BEECHEY) Simplicity Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 30
in. x 25 in. sold for $19,000 on 9/01/2010 at DuMouchelles Fine
Arts Auctioneers, Detroit, MI
Title/Subject: Portrait Of A Lady Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 29.5 in.
x 24.4 in. sold for
$18,611 on 11/12/1997 at Sotheby’s, London
Title/Subject:
Portrait Of Margaret Crow Unsigned.
Oil on canvas. 28.7 in. x 24
in. sold for $17,767 on 11/23/2006 at
Sotheby’s, London
Title/Subject: Portrait Of Elizabeth Townshend Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 26.5 in.
x 21.2 in. sold for
$16,810 on 7/11/1990 at Sotheby’s, London
Title/Subject: Portrait Of Miss Mary Constance Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 12 in.
x 9.7 in. sold for $16,100 on 5/22/1998 at Christie’s, NY
Title/Subject: Portrait
Of A Young Girl Unsigned. Oil on
canvas. 23.8 in. x
19.9 in. sold for $11,758 on 3/22/2000
at Sotheby’s, London
Title/Subject: Portrait Of Harriet Maria Day Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 30 in.
x 25 in. sold for $11,750 on
6/25/2001 at Bonhams & Butterfields, San
Francisco CA
Title/Subject: Portrait Of A Lady, Said To Be Mrs Daniel
Raymond Barker Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 30.2 in.
x 25 in. sold for $11,619 on 7/06/2005 at Bonhams, London
Title/Subject: Portrait Of A Lady, 1825 Signed. Oil on canvas. 35.2 in. x 27.6
in. sold for $11,134 on 2/19/1997 at Sotheby’s,
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