A fine proof before letters of Samuel Reynolds' portrait of Samuel Northcote, junior,( 1743 - 1813) a watchmaker, and brother of the painter James Northcote. Samuel Nortcote stands gazing at a falcon with a bell anklet, held aloft in his left hand, his face dramatically lit from the right hand side with his body in near full shadow. A large dog appears at his side, set against a dark rural backdrop. Reynolds' mastery of the mezzotint printmaking technique perfectly captures the texture of the falcon's plumage as well as the sitters characterful facial features.

Samuel William Reynolds (1773-1835) was a British mezzotinter and oil painter. He studied at the Royal Academy of arts and was tutored by the leading mezzotint engravers John Raphael Smith and Charles Howard Hodges. He produced his first mezzotint in 1794, a portrait of George, Prince of Wales, and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1797 until 1827. He achieved success in both Britain and France, exhibiting at the Paris Salons from 1810 and later appointed drawing-master to the royal princesses and then of engraver to King George III. He taught the engravers David Lucas and Samuel Cousins.

James Northcote (1746-1831) was a history and portrait painter, Northcote was assistant to Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1771-5, and later his biographer. He was known for his dignified portraits in the Reynolds tradition, but also produced grandiose history paintings, many for Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery.

Whitman S.W. Reynolds 414 i/iii, Le Blanc 99, Lennox-Boyd i/iii

Previously with Colnaghi (New Bond Street), frame label states: Ex. Col.: Martin Erdmann, Ex. Col.: John Charrington. Likely to be from Erdmann sale of important early English mezzotints, Christie's 15th / 16th November, 1937.

According to Lugt Martin Erdmann (-1937) (L.885b) was the business partner of the great collector Henry Oppenheimer, of Speyer bank, which they managed together in New York, then in London. His interest in art was less general than that of Oppenheimer, confining himself almost completely to English mezzotint engravings of the 18th century. He complied one of the most valuable and remarkable collections of mezzotints, both in terms of the number and their quality. He focused on those in the best condition possible, with many unique or unrecorded states.

John Charrington (1856-1939) (L.572) was a member of a wealthy family of coal merchants, an art historian and print collector who became the Fitzwilliam Museum’s first ‘Honorary Keeper of Prints’.

Condition: Excellent, dark, and rich proof impression with uncleaned inscription space. Light foxing to inscription space. Restored surface abrasion to top right corner. Framed 19th century frame with original Colnaghi label.