HENRY STACY MARKS (BRITISH 1829-1898)
AMERICAN AND INDIAN WHITE CRANES AND PENGUIN
Auction: Property from the Estate of Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Dowager Countess of Airlie | Wed 3rd Sept at 10am | Lots 45 to 170
Description
Signed and dated 1880, signed with the animal motif and initials and further inscribed with title verso, oil on canvas, and a companion a pair ‘American and Indian white cranes and boatbill’ also signed and dated 1880, oil on canvas (2)
Dimensions
120cm x 80cm (47.25in x 31.5in)
Provenance
With Thos. Agnew & Sons, Manchester label to stretcher verso
Property from the Estate of Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Dowager Countess of Airlie
Footnote
Henry Stacy Marks studied at the Royal Academy Schools from 1851 and subsequently in Paris. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1853 with a painting from a scene in Shakespeare's ‘Much Ado about Nothing’. In the 1860's and 70's in addition to a number of paintings on medieval themes Marks also produced designs for Minton and stained glass manufacturers Clayton and Bell.
Between 1874 and 1880 Marks worked on the decorations at Eaton Hall for his most important patron Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster including twelve panels of birds for the drawing-room. Marks was a frequent and regular visitor to London Zoo to study the birds at first hand and his Diploma work of 1879 ‘Science is measurement’ depicted a scientist with the skeleton of a stork. In 1889 the Fine Art Society planned an exhibition on birds and Marks was encouraged to paint his most important picture ‘A Select Committee’ of 1891 and birds, and storks in particular, remained his favourite subject matter for the rest of his life.