The portrait of Arthur Murphy, a Streatham Worthy and painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds was sold at auction On This Day 16 September 2005 to Sidney Green of London for £305,000.
Arthur Murphy (1727-1805). Barrister, journalist, actor, biographer, translator and playwright.
Sir Joshua Reynolds' unsigned oil on canvas portrait of Arthur Murphy, is a head and shoulders in semi profile looking to his right, wearing white lace cravat with red velvet jacket and waist coat. It is inscribed "Portrait of Arthur Murphy Esquire painted by Joshua Reynolds for Mrs Thrale (afterwards Mrs Piozzi) of whom I purchased it in 1819-George Watson Taylor", Thomas Agnew and Sons paper label and no. 1014, and paper label giving provenance, 29" x 24".
The painting was seen in public in 1917 and was listed as untraced in an art book in 2000. However, it was sold to the art dealer and agent Arthur Sulley, in 1917, who passed it to a Mr Rolston-Mitchell, then by descent to the 2005 private vendor of the painting, who lived in the Driffield area.
(David Thrale)
Arthur Murphy (1727-1805). Barrister, journalist, actor, biographer, translator and playwright.
Sir Joshua Reynolds' unsigned oil on canvas portrait of Arthur Murphy, is a head and shoulders in semi profile looking to his right, wearing white lace cravat with red velvet jacket and waist coat. It is inscribed "Portrait of Arthur Murphy Esquire painted by Joshua Reynolds for Mrs Thrale (afterwards Mrs Piozzi) of whom I purchased it in 1819-George Watson Taylor", Thomas Agnew and Sons paper label and no. 1014, and paper label giving provenance, 29" x 24".
The painting was seen in public in 1917 and was listed as untraced in an art book in 2000. However, it was sold to the art dealer and agent Arthur Sulley, in 1917, who passed it to a Mr Rolston-Mitchell, then by descent to the 2005 private vendor of the painting, who lived in the Driffield area.
(David Thrale)
