Auory Eaux-Bonnes, Pyrenees, France

Newton Fielding French Collection

This picture is one of an interesting collection of works that we have for sale that were collected by a single owner in the 19th century. As such, they reflect the life of the collector—the Continental travels and habitations of a British Victorian. Many of the works are exquisitely executed and small in scale, and have the quality of souvenir or memento. The majority of the works are French in subject and their owner evidently had connections with Newton Smith Limbird Fielding (1799–1856), the esteemed English painter and lithographer who lived and worked for much of his life in Paris, exhibiting at the Paris Salon and Musée Colbert. Newton Fielding, along with his brother Thales, was a friend of Eugène Delacroix, and was appointed drawing master to the children of the Duke of Orleans, the future king Louis-Philippe. Interestingly, the owner of this collection of works also had an interest in the Royals, collecting prints relating to both British and French monarchy. There are also works in the collection depicting Switzerland and paintings of the Neapolitan School, reflecting the influence of the European Grand Tour on 19th century British tastes.