Lot 119: Large Marianne Harvey O/C Equestrian Portrait of John Harvey, Mayor of Norwich, After Opie

Marianne Harvey (British, 1787-1812) oil on canvas Romantic equestrian portrait of her father, John Harvey (1755–1842), Mayor of Norwich, after John Opie’s (British, 1761-1807) 1792 portrait in the Norwich Civic Portrait Collection, Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Norwich, England. Harvey stands in full dress uniform in a foggy, windswept landscape and holds the reigns of a large, seal brown horse as he turns to look to the viewer’s right. In his left hand he holds a bearskin cap. Text along the upper edge and above the Harvey family arms and motto, ALTERI. SI. TIBI, reads: “JOHN HARVEY ESQ: OF THORPE co. NORFOLK. COLL COMMD. EAST NORFOLK YEOMANDRY CALVARY. MAYOR of NORWICH 1792. BORN 1755 DIED 1842.” Partial handwritten label en verso reads: “John Harvey Esq. of Thorpe Lodge [illegible] Norwich / born 1755 – died 1842/ Colonel of Norwich Lt. Horse Volunteers/ Mard. Frances Dau. of / Sir Roger Kerrison [illegilble] of Norfolk / had fifteen children / Copied by his dau. Maria[anne?]…” “Additional partial label to stretcher reads “H/K…son Harvey,” plus W. A. Smith, London (1871-1888) framemaker’s label to stretcher. Housed in a painted and giltwood frame. Sight: 54 in. H x 39 in. W. Framed: 59 1/2 in. H x 44 1/4 in. W. Note: As the label en verso attributes this portrait to John Harvey’s daughter Marianne, who died in 1812, the text with Harvey’s 1842 death date must have been added later by another hand. A circa 1807 painting of a pike from the collection of Rainthorpe Hall, Norfolk, attributed to Marianne, was sold in Bonhams’ 2004 “The Contents of the Old Rectory, Banningham, Norfolk” sale. Historical Note:  “Like many in his family, John [Harvey] was a textile merchant. He was responsible for the introduction of one of Norwich’s best known ‘exports’, the Norwich Shawl. He was a philanthropist and, when employment decreased and the price of bread increased, he, along with The Rev Gee Smyth, started a subscription to supply provisions and coals to the poor at greatly reduced prices. He revived horse racing on Mousehold Heath and started the ‘Thorpe Water frolic’ which is depicted in a painting by Joseph Stannard…In 1779 he bought Thorpe Lodge, was Mayor in 1792 & High Sheriff in 1842.” (Source: Norwich Heritage Projects)

CONDITION: Overall very good condition. With pinpoint punctures to sky at lower right, between hat and saber, and to ground at lower left, where a nail has been driven through the back of the stretcher. Negligible horizontal abrasion with loss to pigment layer in sky along upper left edge, 3/4 inch long. Minor accretion to horse’s lower front left leg, 3/16 inch long. Some negligible, scattered specks of pigment, primarily white, throughout.