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Christie's Auction - Consulting the Oracle (smaller replica) by JWW
MESSAGE:
A "reduced-scale replica" of Waterhouse's Consulting the Oracle will be offered at auction 25 November 2009 at Christie's in London.
From the Lot Notes:
The present picture is a superb reduced-scale replica painted by J.W. Waterhouse after the larger work he had just exhibited to acclaim at the Royal Academy of Arts' Summer Exhibition of 1884. ...
Waterhouse died of liver cancer in 1917, during the depths of World War I, and so his passing was not commemorated formally by the Academy until 1922, when the institution mounted a group show of recently deceased Academicians. [Sir Harry James]Veitch loaned the present picture for that exhibition, then bequeathed it to the art gallery in his native Exeter, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Many Waterhouse pictures entered Britain's municipal galleries in this manner during this era ... Consulting the Oracle ... left Exeter's collection in 1954 and has been privately owned ever since.
The Lot Notes also share information about the larger Consulting the Oracle (which is of course part of the Tate Collection.)
The painting is part of Sale 7823 - Orientalist Masterpieces Including an Important Private Collection.
RESPONSES:
thanks Cathy
This is an interesting painting. The difference in treatment is quite marked (if we can rely on the photo showing us true colour).
The reproduction seems to be in higher key colour and with less emphasis on detail . I prefer the dramatics of the original but the clarity of this smaller image is a good counter point for anyone considering making a copy for themselves.
If the Christies price is the norm I'll never be able to buy one of JWs paintings... but I'd prefer the prices to go up so his work stays in the public's notice.
Hi Neil,
Happy you enjoyed seeing the 'replica' ... it did sell for an amount over the estimate at ... £433,250 ($722,228). As you say, it's good that his work is valued at such a high amount. (even though it is out of my reach, too.) :)
Happy Holidays!
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