5. Edward Lear drawings of Crete - from the collection of Prof. R.M. Dawkins MA, DLitt, FBA, Bywater and Sotheby Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Language and Literature in the University of Oxford, sold by Sotheby’s London on 30 November 1955 as part of ‘A Collection of Mediterranean Views by Edward Lear’
Lot 49 (two items)
Canea
13/4 10 a.m.
6 ¾” x 14 7/8”
View of a headland with figures; and a sheet of figure and landscape studies.
(sold Agnew £35 – see Lear 2 for Canea; sheet of studies probably split into four for private sales by Agnew in 1956, one of which represented Cretan peasants)
The headland view is Lear 2, as time, subject and measurements are the same.
Lot 50
Plain between Canea and Kastelli
14/4 10 a.m.
6” x 14 7/8”
(Sold Agnew £30 and then to private collector 1956)
? Lear 4
Lot 51
Town of Canea
14/4 11 a.m.
6 7/8” x 21 1/8”
Fishermen in a rocky inlet in the foreground (sold Colnaghi, £42 – see Lear 5). This is Lear 5 as time, subject and measurements are the same.
Lot 52
Canea
15/4 9 a.m.
14 ½” x 22 1/8”
From above an olive grove behind the town, mountains on the far side of the bay (sold Spink, £80)
? Lear 6
Lot 53
Gulf of Suda
15/4 2.15 p.m.
8 7/8” x 14 1/8”
Looking towards Cape Drepano (sold Agnew, £45 and then to private collector 1956)
This is Lear 8 as time and subject are the same.
Lot 54
Cape Tripiti from Canea
7/4 10 a.m.
6 ¼” x 14 7/8”
(Sold Agnew £30 and then to private collector 1956 – see Lear 14)
This is Lear 14 as time and measurements are the same; Cape Tripiti is on the northern side of the Akrotiri peninsula.
Lot 55 (two items)
Near Canea
Two views (sold Agnew £12 and then to two private collectors 1956 and 1957)
Lot 56
Canea
19/4 9 a.m.
12 ¾” x 20”A native bazaar inside the walls of Canea (sold Agnew, £45 – see Lear 22). This is Lear 22, as same measurements, subject and time.
Lot 57 (two items)
Near Canea
8” x 12 3/8”
Three children on one patient ass (sold Fine Arts Society £45 with following drawing)
Walls of Canea
20/4 9 a.m.
7 5/8” x 13 5/8”
(Sold Fine Arts Society £45 with preceding drawing – see Lear 24) This is Lear 24, as subject, measurements and time are the same
Lot 58
Canyon near Canea
21/4 1 p.m.
14” x 20 ½”
A quarry in a canyon (sold Hon. Steven Runciman £35 – see Lear 25). This is Lear 25, Katholiko monastery, as measurements and time are the same – however the ‘quarry’ is a ruined monastery !
Lot 59
Cretan village
22/4 7 a.m.
8 1/8” x 13 5/8”
Village in a plain, and another (sold Finch £13)
? Lear 26 or 27 as date and time match.
Lot 60
Agia Triada
22/4 8 a.m.
12 ¼” x 19 ½”
Monastery at Ayia Triada, a grove with cypresses, olives and aloes in the foreground (sold Agnew £62, and then to private collector 1955). This is Lear 28 as measurements, time and subject the same.
Lot 61
Near Canea
22/4 10 a.m.
6 5/8” x 9 ½”
A shrine in a mountain pass (sold Agnew £28 – see Lear 29)
This is Lear 29 as time and subject the same, though height different, and as 1997 sale catalogue reference refers to Agnew provenance in 1956.
Lot 62
Canea
22/4 12.30 p.m.
13” x 21”
A distant view of Canea and the plain from a high ridge looking towards Diktamo (sold Colnaghi £30 – see Lear 31) This is Lear 31, as time, subject and measurements the same (the time on the drawing states noon to 12.30).
Lot 63 (two items)
Mountains from Canea
23/4 8.30 a.m.
13 ½” x 21”
The mountains to the south of Canea; and three studies on Arum dranunculus on one mount (sold Agnew £65 and then the mountains drawing to private collector in 1955, and studies of arum to Sotheby’s 1956) ? Lear 33 for landscape and ? Lear 18 A-D for arums
Lot 64 (three items)
Canea
26/4
Three landscapes near Canea, various sizes (sold Heathcote-Amory £50)
Lot 65
Village near sea
26/4 11 a.m.
6 5/8” x 21 ¼”
A hill-top village near the sea, flowering aloes by a track (sold Fine Arts Society £20 – see Lear 42) This is Lear 42, time and subject the same and measurements slightly less, purchased by present owner in 1957
Lot 66
Coast near Gonia
26/4 5.15 p.m.
6 ½” x 21”
(Sold Fine Arts Society £30)
? Lear 43
Lot 67
Monastery
27/4 7.30 a.m.
14” x 21 ¼”
A fortified monastery near the coast (sold Heathcoat-Amory, £85). This will be Ghonia monastery.
? Lear 46
Lot 68
Cape Spada
28/4 1.30 p.m.
6 5/8” x 14/1/2”
Cape Spada from below Polia (sold W.C. Wilder £25)
? Lear 54
Lot 69 (two items)
Mountain range
29/4 2 p.m.
14 ¼” x 21 ¼”
With figures on a path (sold Hon.S.Runciman £40 with succeeding item – see Lear 59)
This is Lear 59, as time and subject the same, measurements only slightly different.
Island in the Gulf of Suda
4/5 7.30 a.m.
4 ¼” x 12 3/8”
(Sold Hon.S. Runciman £40 with preceding item)
This is Lear 70, as time and subject and measurements the same.
Lot 70 (two items)
Near Caruba
5/5
5 ¼” x 8 7/8”
(Sold Agnew £40 with succeeding item – see Lear 79) This is Lear 79, as measurements and title the same. See note to 79 for retitling.
A rocky defile
5 ½” x 9”
Also a sheet of landscape and botanical studies (sold Agnew £40 with preceding item, who sold to private collectors in 1956 and 1957)
Lot 71 (two items)
Retimo in the Gulf of Armyro
7/5 9 a.m.
4 ¼” x 12 ¼”
Also a sheet of three figure and landscape studies (sold Agnew £40, studies known as ‘Near Khania’, ‘Coast of Crete’ and ‘Studies’, all sold to private collectors in 1956) Retimo - ? Lear 86
Lot 73 (eight items)
Landscapes
1864
Approx 5” x 8” each
Eight Cretan landscapes (sold Agnew £82 and all sold to private collectors in 1955 and 1956))