Portrait of a Man

Jeffery Ludlam Barton Whitehead (1831–1915), Kent, England, by 1879–at least 1889 [1];

Lady Alice Northcote (1853/54–1934), London, by June 1, 1934;

Purchased from her posthumous sale, Valuable Portrait Miniatures, Sotheby’s, London, July 19, 1934, lot 72, as Rt. Hon. John Philpot Curran, by Sir St. Clair Thomson (1859–1943), London and Edinburgh, 1934–1943 [2];

Purchased from Thomson’s posthumous sale, Valuable Miniatures, Watches, Objects of Vertu, Etc., Sotheby’s, London, November 9, 1944, lot 84, as A Gentleman, called John Philpot Curran, by Asprey, London, 1944 [3];

W. C. Ames, by February 18, 1958;

Purchased from their sale, Fine English 18th Century Miniatures, Christie’s, London, February 18, 1958, lot 93, as Portrait of a Gentleman, by Webster, 1958 [4];

Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, by 1965;

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1965.

Notes

[1] Whitehead lent the work to Exhibition of Works by the Old Masters, and by Deceased Masters of the British School, Including Oil Paintings, Miniatures, and Drawings, Royal Academy of the Arts, London, January 6–March 15, 1879, and to Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures, Burlington Fine Arts Club, London, 1889.

[2] The 1934 sales catalogue lot description states, “A Fine Miniature of the Rt. Hon. John Philpot Curran, by John Smart, three-quarters dexter, gaze directed at spectator, in blue coat, signed and dated ‘J.S.,’ 1788, 2 3/8 in.” Thomson bought lot 72 for 36 pounds. Sir St. Clair Thomson was a British surgeon and professor of laryngology.

[3] The 1944 sales catalogue lot description states, “A Miniature of a Gentleman, called John Philpot Curran by John Smart, signed and dated 1788, three-quarters dexter, gaze directed at spectator, hair en queue, in white cravat and vest and rich blue coat, 2 3/8[?]. From the Whitehead and Northcote Collections. Exhibited at the Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1889, cat. p. 34. From the Northcote Collection, Sotheby’s, 19th July, 1934, lot 72. [See Frontispiece].” According to Art Prices Current (1944–1945), Asprey bought lot 84 for 60 pounds.

[4] The 1958 sales catalogue lot description states, “Portrait of a Gentleman, by John Smart, signed with initials and dated 1788, three-quarter face to the left, with gaze directed at the artist, in blue coat with white waistcoat and cravat and with powdered hair–oval–2 3/8in. high–in engraved gold frame. See frontispiece.” According to Art Prices Current 35 (1957–58), “Webster” bought lot 93 for 210 pounds.