American, 1741-1827
Portrait of William Littleton Murray, 1790
Signed with conjoined initials Ch WPeale and dated Painted 1790 (ll)
Oil on canvas
35 5/8 x 26 5/8 inches
Provenance:
The sitter, William Littleton Murray, MD
Thence by descent to Colonel Sulivane, Cambridge, MD
Charles Steele, New York
Thence by descent to the present owner
Literature:
Charles Coleman Sellers, Portraits and Miniatures by Charles Willson Peale, Philadelphia, 1952, pp. 150 and 264, no. 589
Charles Coleman Sellers, Charles Willson Peale with Patron and Populace: A Supplement to Portraits and Miniatures by Charles Willson Peale, Philadelphia, 1969, p. 73, no. SP 98, illus. p. 127, fig. 48.
Lillian B. Miller, The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family, Vol. 1: Artist in Revolutionary American, 1735-1791, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1983, pp. 604, 640
Framed 40 x 30 3/4 inches
Sold for $44,800
Estimated at $40,000 - $60,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
American, 1741-1827
Portrait of William Littleton Murray, 1790
Signed with conjoined initials Ch WPeale and dated Painted 1790 (ll)
Oil on canvas
35 5/8 x 26 5/8 inches
Provenance:
The sitter, William Littleton Murray, MD
Thence by descent to Colonel Sulivane, Cambridge, MD
Charles Steele, New York
Thence by descent to the present owner
Literature:
Charles Coleman Sellers, Portraits and Miniatures by Charles Willson Peale, Philadelphia, 1952, pp. 150 and 264, no. 589
Charles Coleman Sellers, Charles Willson Peale with Patron and Populace: A Supplement to Portraits and Miniatures by Charles Willson Peale, Philadelphia, 1969, p. 73, no. SP 98, illus. p. 127, fig. 48.
Lillian B. Miller, The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family, Vol. 1: Artist in Revolutionary American, 1735-1791, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1983, pp. 604, 640
Framed 40 x 30 3/4 inches
Some inpainting in the sitter's lips, jacket, and along the contours; craquelure; frame rub; a few scattered accretions; wax relined.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: American Paintings & Prints / American Furniture, Silver & Decorative Arts, Oct 23, 2024
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of American Paintings & Prints on October 23, 2024 saw strong prices for late 18th, 19th and 20th century works, including fine examples of portraiture; still lifes; nautical paintings and Hudson River, Western and regional landscapes.
Highlighting the sale was a 1790 portrait by Charles Willson Peale that realized $44,800. One of America's first great artists, Peale (1741-1827) served in the Continental Army, during which time he painted a number of miniatures of his fellow officers. He would go on to paint portraits of several of America’s Founding Fathers, including Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, and of course, Washington. Peale’s masterful portrait from 1790 of William Littleton Murray, who resided in the artist’s native Maryland, depicts the young man in a casual pose that exudes a confidence and optimism that reflects the mood of our nascent nation. The work descended in the family of the sitter and was offered publicly for the first time.
Another noteworthy portrait was Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins' The Singer (Mrs. Liego) that achieved $38,400, many times its estimate of $5,000-8,000. Realist painter, photographer and influential fine art educator, Eakins (1844-1916) was a sought-after portraitist in his native Philadelphia, painting hundreds during his lifetime. Like the portrait by Peale, this work had descended in the family of the sitter.
Belgian/American artist Joseph John Paul Meert’s view of a Coal Yard soared past its estimate of $1,500-2,500 to achieve $21,760 – the second highest price for the artist at auction. Before he transitioned to Abstract art in the 1940s, Meert (1905-1990) painted a number of murals commissioned by the WPA, during which time he painted this work from 1937.
American Furniture, Silver & Decorative Arts
A second session of the sale on October 24 comprising lots 201 - 560 will offer American Furniture, Silver & Decorative Arts.
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
For information, please contact:
Paintings: Bill Fiddler, 212-427-4141, ext. 249, paintings@Doyle.com
Prints: Cynthia Klein, 212-427-4141, ext. 246, prints@Doyle.com