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  • TURNER WATERCOLOUR A LAPADA FAIR HIGHLIGHT

    Joseph Mallord William Turner R.A. (1775-1851) Cullaly Deedy, water-gate in the outer-rampart of Seringapatam, where Tippoo Sultaun resided during the siege. Pencil and watercolor inscribed with title on original mount. £380,000 Click on image to enlarge.

    A Turner Indian watercolor is one of the highlights at the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair at Berkeley Square in London from September 19-23 next. He never visited India but Turner was regularly asked to make finished views of places he did not know. His work  on a series of views of Seringapatam and the famous siege of 1799 was unknown until recently. Three subjects were in the hands of the London dealers, Colnaghi, in 1948, attributed to William Daniell, and were bought in that year by Ray Livingston Murphy.

    They were entered for sale at Christie’s in Murphy’s estate under that attribution in November 1985, withdrawn when the misattribution was realised, and resubmitted at Christie’s in  March 1986. They are: The Siege of Serigapatam (Tate, London); ‘Hoollay Deedy, or new Sally-port in the inner rampart of Seringapatam, where Tippoo Sultaun was killed, on 4th May 1799’ (Clark Institute, Williamstown, Mass.); and ‘Residence of the Mysore Rajah within the fort of Seringapatam, during the last three years of his confinement.’

    The Cullaly Deedy watercolour has been exposed to sunlight; silver-fish have damaged the surface of the paint in places, and the inscribed border is stained. In other respects the sheet is in good condition, the overall impact of the subject is unimpaired. Rountree Fine Art will bring the work to the LAPADA where it is priced at £380,000.

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 17 and July 29, 2012.)

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