British portraiture stars in ‘Traditional Collector’ sale

MONROVIA, Calif. – John Moran Auctioneers is auctioning 15 portraits from some of the finest artists working in England from the 17th to 18th centuries. The portraits will be auctioned alongside other works of English and Continental art, furniture, and décor during the firm’s March 10 Traditional Collector auction.

Chief among the offerings is a beautifully painted portrait of Mrs. Isaac Elton (née Ann Tierney) from famed artist Thomas Gainsborough. The portrait of the enigmatic sitter captures the softness of her complexion and skillfully conveys the fine fabric and delicate pearls typical of a lady of her station and is estimated to sell between $50,000-$70,000.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, a founder, and president of the Royal Academy of Arts who was Knighted by King George III in 1769, is featured in this auction with a portrait of a gentleman in uniform. The officer shown in this portrait in his green waistcoat with red jacket shows a serious expression and a hint of movement in the pose. It is estimated to sell for $15,000-$25,000.

The auction offers paintings by the leading portraitists of the 18th century. A portrait of Harriet Pelham-Holles, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne by German-born British portraitist Sir Godfrey Kneller is one of several portraits the artist made of the Duchess. Following the death of Sir Peter Lely in 1680, Kneller became the Principal Painter to the Crown by King Charles II. Shown in a gold dress with delicate tresses, the portrait should earn $5,000-$7,000.

A portrait of Mary Parker from Swedish-born painter Michael Dahl shows a poised Mary in an elegant white dress draped with a blue sash. She is posed with one arm resting on a red velvet cushion while the other holds a flowering fruit branch. The work carries an estimate of $12,000-$18,000.

One of the most charming portraits in the auction is an example from Irish-born artist Nathaniel Hone the Elder. It depicts a woman in a red dress trimmed with lace shading her eyes as she looks up from her book. The portrait comes to the block with a $7,000-$9,000 estimate.

For more information, visit www.johnmoran.com. Bidding is now available online via Moran’s new mobile app Moran Mobile, available on both iOS and Android operating systems. Live bidding on a desktop is available through bid.johnmoran.com.  In-person, absentee, and telephone bidding are also available. 

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