Lot 48
REAR-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN ROSS (1777-1856)
Lot 48 Details
REAR-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN ROSS (1777-1856), British
COLLECTION OF FIVE POLAR DRAWINGS FROM SIR JOHN ROSS' 'NARRATIVE OF A SECOND VOYAGE IN SEARCH OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE', WHICH HE UNDERTOOK BETWEEN 1829-33:
CAPE MARGARET-ARCTIC REGIONS; THE VICTORY-FINALLY STOPPED BY THE ICE; VICTORIA HARBOUR; COPELANDS ISLAND & SHERIFFS HARBOUR; THE SAUMAREZ RIVER
Four graphite drawings and one watercolour en grisaille; each with titles mounted below the image through cut-out matboards. The Saumarez River and Cape Margaret published as an engraving by F. Read. Printed by Gaywood & Co., London and published 1835.
Sight each 4.75 x 7.5 in — 12.1 x 19.1 cm; 4 x 6 in — 10.2 x 15.2 cm; 3.75 x 6 in — 9.5 x 15.2 cm; 3.75 x 6 in — 9.5 x 15.2 cm; 3.75 x 6 in — 9.5 x 15.2 cm
Estimate $2,000-$4,000
Additional Images
Provenance:
Private Collection, Toronto
Note:
Explorer Sir John Ross led or took part in eight expeditions to the Arctic, including including two expeditions in 1818 and 1829 and three with the great explorer William Edward Parry, also represented in this sale, lot 49.
According to a letter to the consignor dated October 11, 1983 from Clive Holland, Archivist of the Scott Polar Institute, University of Cambridge, Mr. Holland states: "I think I can confirm without reservation that the drawings are by Sir John Ross ... the fact of particular interest ... is that several of them also bear close resemblance to watercolours by Ross in our collection..... I have compared our watercolours to your drawings, and in the subject is clearly the same -- although there are some evident differences of detail. My impression is that the engraver F. Read produced the illustrations in the narrative must have had before him both the watercolours and the drawings, for he seems in some cases to have reproduced elements of both.... “
The Scott Polar Research Institute of the University of Cambridge holds eighty-one original watercolours by Ross from the Second Voyage. Mr. Holland states further that the captions of 5 of their Ross North-west passage watercolours are similarly captioned:
"Cape Margaret -- Arctic Regions;” "The Victory -- finally stopped by the Ice” [Y: 66/3/3]; "Victoria Harbour;” "Copelands Island & Sheriffs Harbour;” and “The Saumarez River” [Y: 66/3/13].