Edouart, Augustin (SCC Newsletter June 1996)

THE EDOUARTS

Works by Edouart.

The photo at the top of the page shows the wall displaying the best of the Edouarts in the Collection. You can see the two clergymen and the two conversation pieces illustrated on this page. There are 15 signed & dated works and three about which there are some doubts. Not to mention the 'false' Edouarts about which I will write later.

All works definately attributed to him have an Irish 'connection' with the exception of the two clergymen, which were cut in 1829 - before Edouart was known to be in Ireland. Only one work is from his Duplicate Book - I will refer to this also at a later point.

Particularily fine is the second photo on the right - it is of Mathew Fortescue and his family at Stephenstown House, Co. Louth. It is 71 cms by 60 cms & is housed in a bird's eye maple frame with gold slip. It is dated 1833.

The third photo on the right is of Mr. & Mrs. Cane, their four children and dog. They had houses at St. Wolstans & Dawson Street, Dublin. It is 72 cms by 56 cms and is also houses in a maple frame with gold slip and dated 1833. It has a similar lithograph background to another in the Collection about which there is a problem reattribution - more later. However, there is no doubt about the attribution of this work!

Note the charming figure of the little daughter offering a morsel to the family pet - which is on it's hind legs!

McDonnell cont’d.

On this page are three more works by Edouart. Firstly Mr. Fortescue again but this time with his bull mastiff dog. The dog even has an eyelash! Also, Mr. Fortescue's left arm is missing in this work - his sleeve on that arm would appear to be pinned up. It is entitled "Mathew Fortescue & his Dog, Stephenstown House, Louth, Ireland." It is signed & dated 1833. Size 47 cms by 39 cms. There are pencil lines on the sitter to show tie & coat detail. It is housed in the usual frame with a sepia wash over pencil drawn background.

The second work is of two gentlemen at a table - one is holding a programme of the meet of the Louth Hounds. It is entitled - "Mathew Fortescue & Friend" obviously Mr. Fortescue was an admirer of Edouart's work! It is 47 cms by 40 cms and has a similar sepia background and frame to the previous work.

The third work on this page is the one made-up from the Duplicate Book. It is of three members of the Kirby Family & two police constables named Gilbert Mitchell & Geo. Lodge. The latter two would appear to have no connection with the Kirby Family - but the general composition is quite pleasing. The Kirbys are dated 5th. June, 1835, Femoy., the policemen are 6th. June, 1835 with no place. Size 51 cms by 41 cms.