NEW YORK—In the twilight of early morning, a partridge and its fellow birds behold a magical moment: daybreak.
This beautiful scene painted by Archibald Thorburn (1860–1935), former vice president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is now estimated to fetch $150,000 to $240,000 at Bonhams auction house in London at the 19th Century Paintings sale on Jan. 27.
In April, seven Thorburn paintings sold for a total of $540,000. Two of the works more than tripled their pre-sales estimates, showing a strong demand for Thorburn’s works on the market.
“Following on from the success of the Thorburns in our April sale, I am confident that this powerful work will prove popular with collectors. It is a remarkable painting which perfectly illustrates the artist’s command of both medium and subject,” said the head of 19th Century Pictures at Bonhams, Charles O’Brien, in a statement.
The painting now up for sale, “The Covey at Daybreak,” is unusually large for Thorburn, measuring 27 inches by 45 inches, according to Bonhams.
The Scottish artist had a life-long love of birds and was highly skilled at producing accurate renderings of British wildlife, including ptarmigan, partridge, grouse, and pheasant.
“He gained a strong reputation among the great sportsmen of the day, including … Edward VI and George V, for his accuracy and attention to detail with regard to the form, coloring and the plumage of the various game birds,” said Bonhams.
This beautiful scene painted by Archibald Thorburn (1860–1935), former vice president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is now estimated to fetch $150,000 to $240,000 at Bonhams auction house in London at the 19th Century Paintings sale on Jan. 27.
In April, seven Thorburn paintings sold for a total of $540,000. Two of the works more than tripled their pre-sales estimates, showing a strong demand for Thorburn’s works on the market.
“Following on from the success of the Thorburns in our April sale, I am confident that this powerful work will prove popular with collectors. It is a remarkable painting which perfectly illustrates the artist’s command of both medium and subject,” said the head of 19th Century Pictures at Bonhams, Charles O’Brien, in a statement.
The painting now up for sale, “The Covey at Daybreak,” is unusually large for Thorburn, measuring 27 inches by 45 inches, according to Bonhams.
The Scottish artist had a life-long love of birds and was highly skilled at producing accurate renderings of British wildlife, including ptarmigan, partridge, grouse, and pheasant.
“He gained a strong reputation among the great sportsmen of the day, including … Edward VI and George V, for his accuracy and attention to detail with regard to the form, coloring and the plumage of the various game birds,” said Bonhams.
