Portrait of a Man

Lewis Charles Wallach (1871–1964), The Grange, Northington, Hampshire, by May 2, 1955 [1];

Purchased from his sale, Catalogue of Fine Portrait Miniatures, Sotheby’s, London, May 2, 1955, lot 58, as by Thomas Richmond, A Miniature of a Man, by Leggatt Brothers, London, probably on behalf of Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, 1955–1958 [2];

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1958.

Notes

[1] The 1955 sale catalogue lists, “The Property of L. C. Wallach, Esq. The Grange, Northington, Hants” for lots 46-94.

[2] Described in the catalogue as “A Miniature of a Man by Thomas Richmond, signed and dated 1798, three-quarters sinister, gaze directed at spectator, curly hair, white cravat and blue coat, 2 3/8 in.; and another of a Young Officer, full face, in red uniform with green facings, cloud and sky background, oval, 3 in., fitted case. Thomas Richmond was the pupil and cousin of George Engleheart.” Lot 58 contains two miniatures. The other, by an unknown artist, is also in the Nelson-Atkins collection; see F58-60/160. An annotated catalogue for this sale is located at University of Missouri-Kansas City, Miller Nichols Library, and it was likely annotated by Mr. or Mrs. Starr. “£20” is written in pencil to the left of lot 58 and is underlined in pen. According to the price list, Leggatt bought the lot for £20. Archival research indicates that the Starrs purchased many miniatures from Leggatt Brothers, either directly or with Leggatt acting as their purchasing agent.