November 17, 2020 Early Arms & Militaria: Age of Exploration, Empire & Revolution
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2020
“The Sea Port and Town of Payta as seen from the Anchorage.” Watercolor, graphite and ink, 3 3/8 x 20 3/8 inches (on 2 pieces of paper joined at center), laid down on a larger sheet 4 ¾ x 21 inches (view) by the artist, with lined edging, title and key inscribed in ink on bottom margin in artist’s hand and with his signature (partly obscured by conservation matting) in lower left corner: ‘A. Bruill [Bovill?]. A detailed topographic drawing of Paita, located on the northwest coast of Peru, which served as a major whaling port in the 19th century; some ships and key structures of the town identified below the title, including “Mail Steamer Coaling” and “Custom House Built of Iron.” The artist Bruill or Bovill has not yet been fully identified, but he is believed to have been warrant officer or midshipman aboard the HMS Vixen, a Royal Navy paddle sloop assigned to the Pacific/South American station during 1857-1859 (see lot 1166 above). CONDITION: colors are extremely fresh and paper still bright, but with three flattened folds, conservation-matted in a modern frame, not examined out of frame. JLK
Item Dimensions: 25 - 1/2 x 9 - 1/2"