The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-04 00:00:00

MR. DAVISON'S PICTURES,

On Saturday last, the Pictures -of Mr. ALEX.,
ANDER DAVISON -were sold by auction, at Mr.
STANLEY'S Room, in Maddox-street. Mr: DA''
VISON had determined that none but- the works.
of British Artists should find a place in his gal-
lery. This gentleman, however, did not limit
his patronage to the purchase of those works of
the English school which had already acquired'
.celebrity ; but in 1806 he commissioned certain
artists to paint for him some new pictures. Be
left the free choice of the subject of each pie-.
ture to the respective painters, with this iestric-.
tion only, that it should be taken from British
history. The pictures which Mr. DAVISON ob.'
tainedy in consequence of this order, were ten in'
number, and they formed the chief attraction or
Saturday's sale. They were as follows :-
1. Henry Perry, Earl of Northumberland, presenting Mar-.
garet, the eldest daughter of Henry the Seventh, to James IV:
King of Scotland, at Lamerton, near Berwick. By James'
Northcote, R.A.—This picture, with the exception of the face
of Margaret, is not a kind to merit particular notice. It did,
not Meet with a bidder at 10 guineas, and was therefore passed-
by the auctioneer.
2. The Earl of Surreyresisting the unconstitutional Attempts-
to question by Quo-Warranto the Tenures and Liberties of tiny
ancient Baron*. By Henry Tresham, R. A.—This work ap...
peered to be, in point of merit, on a par with the former, and
as nobody would bid for it, was also passed.
3. Elizabeth, Queen Dowager of Edward IV., in the Sanc-
tuary at Westminster, receiving a Deputation from the Coun-
cil of State, sent to demand her younger son, the Duke of
York. By Robert Smirke, It. A.—A very meritorious work :
the composition good, and every part is finished with care. It
sold for 92suineas, a price by no means adequate to its worth.
4. The Deputies of the Privy Council offering the Crown to
Lady Jane Grey. By Singleton Copley, R. R.—lf this had
been produced when art was in its infancy in England, it might
have been esteemed, but it can acquire no reputation for the
artist in the present day. It was passed for want of a bidding.
5. Mary, Queen of Scots, after her Defeat at the Battle of
Langaide, embarking for England to seek the Protection of
Elizabeth. By Richard Weston, R. A.. Not the best of the
Artist's productions sold for 75 guineas.
G. The Conspiracy of Babington against
.Queen Elizabeth,
detected by her Minister, Sir Francis Walsingham. By Ar-
thur Devis.—Elizabeth is sitting in a chair in the centre of the
picture, and is pointing to the portraits of Babington and his
associates. Walsingliam is standing, by her side, and some
female attendants are at her back. The head of Elizabeth is
the worst part of the picture; it is that of an old man ; we cer-
tainly never saw any thing like it on female shoulders. Wel-
: sir g am's head, which is copied from Houbraken, is well paint-
ed; tu.: his figure is stiff and formal. The Artist has not be-
stowed sufficient pains on the other figures in the picture ; the
,theises and furniture are, however, • executed with great care.
Sold for 200 guineas:

7. Sir Philip Sidney Mattalls wctinded, ordering the water
which was-brought to him, to be first• given to a wounded
soldier. By Benjamin West, R. A.—The figures are crowded
together in confusion. The heads appear to have been copied
from carvings in wood : those of Sidney and the Wounded sofr
dier are particularly objectionable. Sold for 100 guineas.
8. The Wife of the Neatherd rebuking King Alfred, who
had taken shelter in her cottage disguised as a peasant, for
having suffered the dikes to burn which she had submitted to
his care. By David 'Wilkie, B. A.—One of the least known
of the works of the celebrated artist, but it is, however, scarcely
inferior to his more recent productions. In the centre of the
picture, Alfred is sitting with his bow in his hand, which he
has been preparing for use. To the left, a little behind, are
the neatherd and his wife, who are supposed to have just come
in with some fuel: The woman it in the act of reprimanding
Alfred, and a girl in the left corner of the picture is stooping
down and blowing the burnt cakes with her mouth, In the back
ground to the right of Alfred,.are a young peasant, a
_portrait
of the artist, and a female, in conversation. The figure of
Alfred is well painted r, but there is nothing in it which would
lead the spectator to suppose that he was a remarkable man.
We should, indeed,. imagine that Wilkie would find it difficult
to paint a hero. The.remaining figures in the picture must be
viewed with unmixed admiration. The anger of the old woman
is aernirablY expressed by her countenance. Nothing, too, can
be better depicted than the anxiety, of the girl to save the burn-
ing cakes. flue picture way bought for 500 guineas, by Messrs.
Hurst, Robinson and Co., the ptintsellers.
Si. The Death of the Earl of Chatham, by Singleton Copley,
R.A.—This picture is well known to the public,_ having been
recently exhibited at the British Gallery. It sold for 1,000
guineas.
10. Stephen lanigton, Archbishop of Canterbury, showing
to Cie Barons of England the Charter of Liberties which had
been granted by King Henry I. By Arthur Devis.—This is a
much better picture than the one by the same artist, which we
have before noticed. Independently of its pictorial merits, the
painting is interesting on another account—namely, that the
persons of the Barons, are represented by the portraits of their
existing descendants. It was purchased at the extraordinary
price of 2,000 guineas, by Mr. Horton, who likewise bought
the last picture. It was one of' the conditions of the sale, that
purchasers should pay in addition the auction duty of 5 per
cent: The price actually paid for Mr. Devis's picture ,would,
therefore, amount to 2,205/. At the sale of Garrick's pictures
last week, Hogarth's election pictures were bought for 1,7321.
So much for the discrimination of our collectors. In addition
to the above mentioned pictures; several fine works.by Gains...
borough, 3lorland, and other celebrated artists, were sold by
Mr. Stanley, and generally at low prices..