Description:

Henry SHORT (1807–1865)
'Australian beauties' – A still life of flowers, fruit, and objects on a marble ledge

Oil on canvas
Signed and dated lower right: H. Short / 1856

The reverse of the canvas with the stencilled mark of its supplier, G. Rowney & Co., 51 Rathbone Place, London

With two original manuscript labels preserved to the later backing, each in brown ink:

'Australian Beauties in February 1856 / painted from Nature by / Henry Short / Melbourne / Purchased by Professor McCoy / Melbourne University'

and

'Australian Beauties in February 1856 / "Immortal Man! behold her glories shine.
And cry, exulting inly, "They are thine" – Byron / painted by Henry Short / The property of Professor Mc Coy – Melbourne University'

68.5 x 89cm

PROVENANCE:
Sir Frederick McCoy (1817–1899), Melbourne
Charles Lloyd Jones (1878–1958), Sydney
Lawsons, The Lloyd Jones Collection, Sydney, 9 April 1981, lot 705 (unsold)

OTHER NOTES:
The first owner of this painting, Professor Sir Frederick McCoy, was founding Professor of Natural History at the University of Melbourne. Presumably, this work was hung in his house 'Maritima', for which see lot 195 in this auction.

  • Provenance: Sir Frederick McCoy (1817–1899), Melbourne
    Charles Lloyd Jones (1878–1958), Sydney
    Lawsons, The Lloyd Jones Collection, Sydney, 9 April 1981, lot 705 (unsold)
  • Dimensions: 68.5 x 89cm
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Notes: The first owner of this painting, Professor Sir Frederick McCoy, was founding Professor of Natural History at the University of Melbourne. Presumably, this work was hung in his house 'Maritima', for which see lot 195 in this auction.
  • Condition: The work presents very well consistent with age, with a light unobtrusive craquelure and impressions from the stretcher bars; no damage apparent, the absence of damage to the canvas confirmed by inspection of its reverse (not relined).

    Examination under u.v. light indicates the paint layer is substantially original and long undisturbed, with a few areas of retouching, principally to the upper parts of each side along the lines of the stretcher bars and between these and the edges. There are small points of retouching scattered across the lower part of the work, towards the edge, and a few elsewhere.

    The frame, which is of the same period as the work but possibly not original to it, retains its moulded composition details largely intact but has typical minor shrinkage cracks, occasional superficial losses to its gesso ground (some retouched with gold paint), and its gilding is quite aged and worn generally, especially to its outer sides.


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A$100 A$499 A$50
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A$1,000 A$1,999 A$100
A$2,000 A$4,999 A$200
A$5,000 A$9,999 A$500
A$10,000 A$19,999 A$1,000
A$20,000 A$49,999 A$2,000
A$50,000 A$99,999 A$5,000
A$100,000 + A$10,000