The Life of Buckingham
Augustus Leopold Egg·c. 1855
Historical Context
Augustus Leopold Egg's Life of Buckingham from around 1855 depicts a scene from the tumultuous career of George Villiers, First Duke of Buckingham, the controversial favorite of James I and Charles I. Egg was a member of the group known as "The Clique" and a friend of Charles Dickens, producing narrative paintings that combined historical subjects with contemporary social commentary. His work bridges the gap between academic history painting and the new realism of mid-Victorian art.
Technical Analysis
Egg's oil-on-board technique demonstrates the detailed, anecdotal approach to historical narrative favored by mid-Victorian painters. The careful rendering of period costume and setting reflects the archaeological accuracy that Pre-Raphaelite influence brought to English history painting.
Provenance
by 1865 - 1876: James Dugdale (1813-1876), Wroxall Abbey, Warwick; 1876 - 1927: by descent to his son James Broughton Dugdale (1855-1927); 1927: James Broughton Dugdale sale, Christie's, June 24, 1927, (lot 133 with 134); 1927 - ?: "bt. Martin and Sampson, respectively The Toast of the King and The Death Chamber, both for total price of £25 4s [Christie's notes say 24 gns to Harrison with lot 134; research ongoing]; ?: with Anthony Hordern, Sydney, Australia [research ongoing]; ? - 2014:hitherto undisclosed American private collection [research ongoing]; 2014: bought in at Christie's London "Victorian, Pre-Raphaelite & British Impressionist Art" sale on June 17, 2014 (lot 13); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
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