Bonhams to Sell Outstanding Collection of Archibald Thorburn Paintings

Written by Algernon Copthorne Tuesday, 05 April 2011 23:27

London.- An outstanding private collection of 15 works by Archibald Thorburn will feature in the next 19th Century Paintings auction at Bonhams New Bond Street on 13th July 2011.  This follows on from the success of Bonhams 19th Century Paintings auction in January, where "Covey at Daybreak (Partridges)" sold for £192,000 – the second highest price ever paid for a Thorburn painting at auction. The highlight in the collection is the magnificent "Peacock and Peacock Butterfly", at 87.5 x 111.5 cm it is one of the largest of Thorburn’s paintings, and it shows a large peacock proudly displaying his extravagant plumage, in contrast to the delicate and beautifully detailed peacock butterfly in the foreground.  Hugh Gladstone wrote in Thorburn’s obituary in the Scottish Naturalist, January 1936, “of all his pictures...the most daring was a gigantic one...of a peacock in full display in front of a red rhododendron in full bloom; a gorgeous sunset and woodland as the background...I remember the whole as a riot of colour...both magnificent and accurate.” Thorburn later recalled how he had nightmares of endlessly painting the ‘eyes’ on the peacock tail feathers. Between 19-21 April selected Thorburn highlights from the sale will be on view in Bonham's Edinburgh saleroom: 22 Queen Street, Edinburgh.

Also expected to prove popular with bidders is "Danger Aloft  (Ptarmigan)".  Nine ptarmigan are seeking shelter on a hillside while storm clouds gather in the distance.  There is a small herd of deer on the shoulder of the hill and “suddenly, out of the mists boiling up from the depths of the corrie, a golden eagle appears and the ptarmigan instantly crouch and ‘freeze’, their autumnal plumage blending to perfection with the boulders and herbage of this high place.  They squat motionless, trusting in their camouflage for survival, waiting for the danger to pass. Other Thorburn paintings in the auction include include "Woodcock in the Snow", "Widgeon and Teal by the Waters Edge", "Blackcocks at the Lek", "On the Stooks" (Blackgame)" and "Pair of Golden Eagles".  Among the works in the collection are several paintings which were brought in the Thorburn Museum sale in 1993.  The total estimate for the whole collection is £400,000. Charles O’Brien, Head of 19th Century Pictures at Bonhams comments, “We are really thrilled to be handling this magnificent collection which has been put together with meticulous care over a number of years.  Thorburn’s work remains at the very pinnacle of British ornithological art and the remarkable prices paid by collectors recently are testament to the enduring quality and popularity of his work.”





Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) was a Scottish artist with a life-long love of birds and was Vice-President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. He was highly skilled at producing accurate renderings of British wildlife, with the many species of bird forming a staple subject. Ptarmigan, partridge, grouse and pheasant were often painted from life during Thorburn’s countless jaunts through the countryside and during his long career. 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, colouring and the plumage of the various game birds. The son of a miniaturist painter for Queen Victoria, Archibald Thorburn began sketching at an early age and received most of his training from his father, only briefly attending St. John's Wood School of Art. After the death of his father, Thorburn moved to London in 1885 and studied with Joseph Wolf. In 1880, Thorburn began to exhibit at the Royal Academy and continued to do so for the next twenty years. In 1885, Thorburn was asked by Lord Lilford of Northampton to take over the illustration work for his 'Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands" after the original artist, J G Keulemans fell ill. By the time Thorburn had completed the 268 plates for Lord Lilford, he was famous throughout the U.K. and his works were highly sought after by sportsment and ornithologists. Thorburn continually traveled around Great Britain, walking the moors of Scotland as well as the lands by his home in England, in order to study birds and animals in their natural habitats. He eventually settled at Hascombe in Surrey and continued to work, sketching and painting birds for the rest of his life.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Hong Kong, Australia and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com.

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