Holiday Feature; John Cassin

It's That Time of Year!

During the Holiday Season we are featuring the works of John Cassin (18130-1869)

and his acclaimed engravings from The Birds of California (c. 1865)

The Black Breasted Woodpecker

These wonderfully detailed hand-colored works make the perfect gift for family and friends. Why not gift a enriching historical engraving, that displays the merging of science and art in the 19th century.

Known as the Audubon of the West, John Cassin was a Pennsylvania Quaker who served as the curator for the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.  He was also a gifted taxonomist who succeeded in illustrating and describing 198 birds that were not included in either publication of his great predecessors Audubon or Wilson. Cassin’s great achievement was his completion of only one volume of Illustrations of The Birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British and Russian America (1853-56). After his death Brown University purchased his collection of over 4,300 birds for the universities museum of natural history.

A Selection of pieces available:

The Northern Chickadee

The Black Brant

The Red Breasted Teal 

The Northern Sea Eagle 

We have framed and unframed pieces available, Special framing prices may apply to matted pieces purchased. 

For  Purchasing Inquiries; Please call 415-788-5115, or visit us at Arader Galleries 432 Jackson Street, San Francisco, Ca 94111.

Summer Auction Picks of the Week

With our Summer auction only 6 days away, we would like to present one last highlight from this month's auction selection.

Please Contact the gallery if you have questions about the bidding process, or need further information about a particular lot. Our gallery associates are quick to respond to your needs and will help ensure a successful auction outcome. We are driven to perfect and grow your collection, and provide you with the tools necessary to do so.

Highlight of the Week: Lot 12

Chuck-Will's Widow, Plate 52

37 x 49" framed

Once Audubon had committed to his project, producing the monumental Birds of America, it fell to him to find an engraver and subscribers. After a failed attempt to drum up interest in Philadelphia, he turned to Europe. Departing from New Orleans in 1826, he arrived in Liverpool first. While in Europe, he presented himself as a romanticized American woodsman. He dressed in buckskins and applied bear grease to his long hair, playing to the English’s attraction to characters of frontier culture. He brought more than 300 pictures, which were exhibited in Liverpool, Manchester, and Edinburgh where they were enthusiastically well-received by a scientific community much preoccupied with little-known lands. While in Edinburgh, Audubon was directed to William Home Lizars (1788 – 1859), the finest engraver in the city. Lizars was so impressed by Audubon’s drawings that he put aside a project and agreed to instead take on the formidable task of engraving the plates for Audubon’s “Great Work.” Work on the first part began in November 1826 and by January 1827 the first five images were printed. Audubon’s relationship with Lizars was, however, not long-lasting. During the production of the first two parts Lizars’ colorists went on strike, and in June 1827 Audubon retrieved the ten completed plates and began his search for a new engraver.

In London, he met Robert Havell, Sr. (1774 – 1832), a print maker. Havell, Sr., felt he was too old for such an undertaking, but his son Robert Jr. (1793 – 1878) entered into a partnership with him and together they brought to fruition Audubon’s massive work, The Birds of America.

Audubon’s prints are, in a word, stunning. He was an exceptional naturalist. The striking posture of the birds displays as much of their shape and plumage as possible, with a degree of detail that proves the extent of his research. Audubon stood out from other ornithological naturalists of his time by depicting his birds in dynamic, active attitudes, rather than just in profile. The artist’s eye and hand can be seen on every page; the birds have personalities, and with them, Audubon cemented his status as an American archetype, as much a part of our national folklore as George Washington or Johnny Appleseed.

Charming 18th Century Painting of Birds

Christopher Huet (French, 1694-1759)
"Ruffs in a Landscape"
Oil on canvas
Canvas size: 20 1/2” x 17 3/8”
Literature: Christine E. Jackson, Bird Painting - The Eighteenth Century (Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1994), p. 76

Christopher Huet’s informal and intimate painting places male and female specimens of the species Philomachus pugnax in their natural habitat of marshy wetlands. The bird was first introduced to the English in 1586 when an anonymous writer published an attack upon the large frilly lace ruffs currently the fashion among Elizabethan men and woman. He scornfully likened these extravagant collars to the ruff worn around the neck of the male ruff bird when in breeding plummage.

Huet’s charming painting was most probably designed to appeal to members of the French aristocracy among whom he found continued employment. He specialized in the depiction of natural history subjects as well the interior decoration of houses. His skills were such that his name can be found along side that of Watteau in the account books of the Prince de Conde documenting work completed at the family castle in 1741.

This elegant painting is now on display at Arader Galleries, at 435 Jackson Street, San Francisco. Please call 415-788-5115 with any questions.

Basso-Relivo Techniques in the 18th Century

Reliefs employ a sculptural technique to make an image appear as if it were raised above the background. In other words, the image is relieved from the medium. Basso-relievo is a technique invented and popularized by an 18th century Irish artist named Samuel Dixon. A copper plate was used to emboss particular areas of the paper which was then painted over with watercolors and gouache. The end result lends a 3-dimensional effect to the subject and embellishes specific elements. Around 1748, the artist published his first collection of twelve paintings featuring the basso-relievo technique. His paintings featured mostly flowers and exotic birds though his works were not based on personal research but rather sketches from George Edwards' Natural History of Uncommon Birds, published in 1743. Dixon went on to complete three sets of twelve paintings featuring the basso-relievo technique.

An English artist by the name of Isaac Spackman was inspired by Dixon's work and published his own set of basso-relievo paintings in the late 18th century. Spackman followed Dixon's technique extremely closely and drew his inspiration from Edwards' Natural History of Uncommon Birds.

William Hayes followed the method put forth by Dixon but used his own personal sketches to create his basso-relievo paintings. He drew from his two published books; A Natural History of British Birds and Rare and Curious Birds in the Menagerie at Osterly Park, Middlesex. Hayes' paintings not only featured the puffed paper effect but glass eyes as well. The combination of the two give his paintings a strong 3-dimensional look.

Each of these artists produced very few basso-relievo works making these pieces extremely unusual and treasured. All of the paintings are in their original frames. The glass eyes used in Hayes' pieces are also original making these pieces extra special. If you have any other inquiries about these 18th century paintings, please contact Arader Galleries.

Guernsey's Auction, September 8, 2012

The recent Roger Tory Peterson and John James Audubon auction, as featured in the NY Times, conducted by Guernsey’s at Arader Galleries on Madison Ave., in New York this last Saturday, was an unmitigated success, and surely heralds a welcome return to a lively auction scene not often seen since the end of 2008.

Old friends and new packed the second floor at the Arader Galleries flagship store, which saw furious bidding for more than 400 lots of original gouache, watercolour and pencil drawings of birds that illustrate Peterson’s iconic Field Guides. With more than 90% sold by lot, Peterson’s place as the best known and best loved illustrator of birds in modern times is secured. “It is impossible to overestimate the role that Roger Tory Peterson played in 20th-century wildlife art and photography. Like the legendary John James Audubon before him, Peterson’s pioneering approach to the art of nature changed how everyday Americans interacted with the world around them, in particular with birds. The detailed paintings Peterson produced depicted birds in a realistic and easily recognisable way and in their natural habitat. That art, translated into his Field Guides to Birds, made modern bird-watching easily do-able by a regular person...” (Guernsey’s sale catalogue).

Audubon’s magnificent hand-coloured aquatints from the double elephant folio edition of  “The Birds of America” (1827-1838), the single most important work on North American ornithology, were more than 80% sold by lot. Many, many lots by both artists achieved well over their high estimates; but by far and away the star of the auction was plate 431, Audubon’s life-size, vibrantly coloured American Flamingo at more than $125,000 inclusive. Other notable prices were achieved for Audubon’s Common American Swann at $97,600, and his Trumpeter Swann at $76,250.

Arader Galleries retains a comprehensive gallery of works of art by both Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson, and we welcome all visitors at our galleries in New York, Philadelphia, Houston and San Francisco, or to our website www.aradersf.com.

Edward Lear- artist, illustrator, author, poet

Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was born in Halloway, England to a middle class family. As the second-to-last of twenty-one children, he was raised by his oldest sister, Ann, due to poor family finances. Lear also suffered from epilepsy and asthma from an early age - illnesses that would plague him his entire life. Lear became a paid artist at the age of 16 when he took a job with the Zoological Society as a “ornithological draughtsman.” He continued his work drawing the private menagerie of the Earl of Derby. His publication, Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidea, or Parrots, came about in 1830, when the artist was 18. His work was favorably received and compared to contemporary artists such as John James Audubon. At the age of 25, failing eyesight caused Lear to give up his detailed ornithological work. He moved to Rome in 1837 in an attempt to bolster his poor health.

For the next 50 years, Lear would travel all over the world exploring; supporting himself through his drawings, watercolors, and writings. His travels included forays in Greece, Palestine, Egypt, India and Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka). While traveling he produced numerous colored wash drawings that he would later build up with watercolor and oil. To share his experiences, Lear kept detailed journals documenting his day–to-day experiences and sketched the local topography. He later annotated his journals, letters, and sketches often purposely misspelling words and adding nonsensical phrases for publication.

Courtesy of 

The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Book of Nonsense, by Edward Lear

Lear passed away at his Italian villa in 1887 from heart disease. Sadly, none of his friends were able to attend the funeral.


Great Britain marked the centennial of his death with a set of Royal Stamps in 1988 and an exhibition at the Royal Academy. To mark the bicentennial of his birth, a range of events have been planned throughout the world on May 18 – International Owl and Pussycat Day – including a Google Doodle depicting the titular Owl and the Pussycat.

Arader Galleries is please to present a rare first edition of Lear’s Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidea, or Parrots. This publication marked the transition from engraving to lithography in natural history works. This work contains 42 lithographs with original hand-painted color. A run of only 175 books were produced, of which only 100 survive today. The quality of this work established Lear’s reputation as one of the best natural history artists of his time.

   

Edward Lear (1812-1888)

Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots

London: Edward Lear, 1830-1832

Hardcover

Book Condition: Near Fine

Folio (21 x 14 inches)

Letterpress title-page, dedication leaf, list of subscribers, list of plates,

42 fine hand-colored lithographic plates by and after Lear.

Fine modern half diced calf marbled boards antique,

Please contact Arader Galleries for further details.

For the Love of the Hunt

Ask any hunter about his first or last hunt and I’m sure he will have a lively story to tell. As the 2008 hunting season nears an end, what better way than to inspire story telling and prolong the sensation of the hunt than through a picture? A.B. Frost’s Shooting Pictures bring to life the stories of hunters past and present as well as memorializing the great tradition. A must see for any hunting enthusiast but also for anyone interested in the history of weaponry, these chromolithographs examine how hunting was represented in art during the nineteenth-century.

A.B. Frost’s hand signed Shooting Pictures are atmospheric hunting scenes which capture the pleasurable and exhilarating suspense right before the kill—the sensation which keeps every hunter addicted. Yet several notable artists have managed to capture as much which is why the real significance of Frost’s prints lies in his ability to transcend other themes. Namely, the glorification of the American hunting tradition, the experience of the great outdoors, the special father-son hunting dynamic, and the valued relationship between the huntsman and his dog.

We encourage you to experience the majesty of Frost’s Shooting Pictures in person for several reasons. At first Frost’s prints appear merely as an impressive set of hunting scenes, but further inspection reveals the justification behind Frost’s epithet as the greatest American sporting artist. Frost’s use of light aligns with the hunter’s mentality, creating a remarkable and tangible sensation for the observer. Indeed, the early morning light suggests an alert and patient huntsman in contrast to the low light of a hazy afternoon which evokes an anxious yet committed hunter. Frost uses landscape, in addition to light, to transcend temperament. The water scenes evoke a higher sense of concentration as the observer compensates with the hunter for the rockiness of the water, while the wood scenes make the observer conscience of his/her weight as he/she can imagine the noise of leaves crushing beneath the hunter’s boots. Lastly, Frost’s minimal compositions allow slight variations to greatly impact the ambiance. In Rabbit Shooting, for example, the presence of the special father and son bond derives from the isolated atmosphere—hinting at the long hours spent bonding outdoors together. Furthermore, Frost’s decision to place the father in the forefront and facing towards his son, distinguishes him as a role model/instructor. Similarly, Autumn Goose Shooting reflects the important function dogs play in hunting as Frost places them in the central foreground, leading the hunter to fruition.

Again, we are pleased to offer Frost’s extraordinary Shooting Pictures at Arader Galleries. The prints, currently available for purchase, are also illustrated in our Hunt Catalog. Please do not hesitate to call 415.788.5115 or email aradersf@aradergalleries.com to request a copy. Hope to see you soon!

One of the earliest publications on the flora and fauna of North America

Kingfisher by Catesby

Hermit Crab by Catesby

Arader Galleries is pleased to offer a selection of first edition, hand-colored copperplate engravings from Mark Catesby’s The Natural History of Carolina , Florida and the Bahama Islands . The first edition was printed between 1731 -1743 in London , and contains 220 plates published in two volumes, which depict birds, reptiles, fish, insects and mammals. The first volume was printed in 1731, and the second was printed in 1743. It is the first natural history book to use folio-sized color plates, and the first pictorial account of the flora and fauna of North America.

In 1712 the English born artist and naturalist embarked on a series of explorations to the southern colonies of British North America. Enthralled by the wildlife, he spent years traveling by foot through parts of present day Virginia, Georgia, the Carolinas and Bahamas. He encountered and documented uncountable varieties of animal and plant life that where entirely unknown to Europeans. These travels would become the basis for Catesby’s breathtaking book.

The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Island is one of the most sweeping, complete and unique natural history study ever created. It is considered a crowning achievement of 18th century art and science. This work was completed at the same time Linnaeus was working on his Systema Naturae, and used Catesby’s work as the basis of his system of binomial nomenclature for American species. When Catesby returned to England in 1726 he was unable to afford the expense of having his drawings engraved professionally so he taught himself. He also carefully monitored the coloring either painting the impressions himself, or closely supervising the colorist to insure its fidelity to the original studies.The book provided an important model for later artists including Audubon and Alexander Wilson, who followed in Catesby’s footsteps a century later. His pioneering attempts to describe and portray birds accurately, life-sized and in botanical settings set him apart from his contemporaries.

The first edition of Mark Catesby’s book was printed on imperial folio sized hand-laid papers (approximately 14-1/2 x 20-1/2 inches) with various plate mark dimensions (approximately 9-5/8 x 13-3/8 to at least 10-1/4 x 13-7/8 inches). Chain lines on the paper appear to be uniformly spaced at 1 inch. Two Watermarks identify the first edition of Catesby prints from later editions. The first is the “Strausburg Lilly” over the initials “LVG”, representing the Dutchman Lubertus van Gerre-vink. This is also the same paper in which many of his original drawings are mounted on. A second Watermark found in the first edition is the “IHS” over “I. VILLEDARY”, representing the Jesuits and the Jean Villedary.

Be sure to view our collection of Catesby and other natural history artists such as Audubon, Barraband and Gould at our San Francisco Jackson Square location at 435 Jackson St., or online at www.aradersf.com.

Charming 18th Century Painting of Birds

Christopher Huet (French, 1694-1759)
"Ruffs in a Landscape"
Oil on canvas
Canvas size: 20 1/2” x 17 3/8”
Literature: Christine E. Jackson, Bird Painting - The Eighteenth Century (Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1994), p. 76

Christopher Huet’s informal and intimate painting places male and female specimens of the species Philomachus pugnax in their natural habitat of marshy wetlands. The bird was first introduced to the English in 1586 when an anonymous writer published an attack upon the large frilly lace ruffs currently the fashion among Elizabethan men and woman. He scornfully likened these extravagant collars to the ruff worn around the neck of the male ruff bird when in breeding plummage.

Huet’s charming painting was most probably designed to appeal to members of the French aristocracy among whom he found continued employment. He specialized in the depiction of natural history subjects as well the interior decoration of houses. His skills were such that his name can be found along side that of Watteau in the account books of the Prince de Conde documenting work completed at the family castle in 1741.

This elegant painting is currently on display at Arader Galleries (435 Jackson St., San Francisco, CA). Please call 415.788.5115 with any questions.

A Syndication of Gould's Birds of Asia

We are pleased to announce a syndication of John Gould’s spectacular Birds of Asia. This set of hand-colored lithographs contains some of the most exquisite depictions of birds ever executed by an ornithologist. John Gould strove to record as many known species of the birds of Asia as possible, which resulted in 530 images of beautiful, exotic birds. The Birds of Asia is considered Gould’s greatest accomplishment, an undertaking that resulted in over 30 years being produced.

John Gould (1804-1881) was without question the most prolific and successful ornithological artist of the 19th century, and the only one to rival John James Audubon in ambition and quality. The 19th century was a time of intense fascination with discoveries in natural history, especially regarding knowledge of the wildlife of exotic lands. Gould shared the romantic enthusiasm of his time for such subjects, as well as the popular impulse to catalogue exotic wildlife. He combined his passion for natural history with outstanding scientific, artistic, and entrepreneurial talents. Drawing on these abilities, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould’s unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a monumental series of books of birds found throughout the world.

Considered one of Gould’s greatest achievements, the Birds of Asia was in production longer than any of his other works, taking 34 years for the appearance of its 35 parts. The ornithologist was fascinated by the diversity of the exotic, colorful species of Asia, and he conveyed his enchantment to viewers, creating one of his most monumental and magnificent sets. The subjects of the plates are among the most varied of Gould’s folios: trogons, kingfishers, sunbirds, woodpeckers, partridges, parrots, parakeets, pheasants, and many other genera are beautifully drawn, printed and colored. Gould placed many of the vibrant, showy and elegant birds in their appropriate settings.

530 hand-colored lithographs, each measuring 21 ½" x 14 ½", will be distributed by way of syndication on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 1:00 pm in New York City at our 1016 Madison Avenue gallery. For more information, please contact Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115.