Christiana Susan Dumaresq (née McLeay) (British, 1799-1866)
An album of views of the Dumaresq estate of St Helier's at Muswellbrook, New South Wales
the title page inscribed "Christiana Susan Dumaresq 13th October 1830"; others variously inscribed with titles and dated "August 1831"
pencil (8) and watercolour (5)
20 x 27cm (7 7/8 x 10 5/8in).(album size)
the album also contains two later watercolours of a homestead and gardens by another hand, two watercolours from the circle of Conrad Martens, 'Bush landscape' and 'Sydney from St Leonard's' circa 1845-1850 (fixed into the album), a number of sepia photographs and two pencil sketches (one loose)
the title page inscribed "Christiana Susan Dumaresq 13th October 1830"; others variously inscribed with titles and dated "August 1831"
pencil (8) and watercolour (5)
20 x 27cm (7 7/8 x 10 5/8in).(album size)
the album also contains two later watercolours of a homestead and gardens by another hand, two watercolours from the circle of Conrad Martens, 'Bush landscape' and 'Sydney from St Leonard's' circa 1845-1850 (fixed into the album), a number of sepia photographs and two pencil sketches (one loose)
Sold for
£28,800
inc. premium
Footnotes
- PROVENANCE:
Rear Admiral John Saumarez Dumaresq CB, CVO (1873-1922), grandson of the artist
Thence by descent to the current owner
In 1824, Earl Bathurst appointed General (Sir) Ralph Darling governor of New South Wales, and Alexander McLeay (1767-1848) his colonial secretary. McLeay and his family, including his second daughter Christiana Susan, sailed to Sydney aboard the Marquis of Hastings, arriving in January 1826.
In 1830, Christiana Susan married Captain William Dumaresq (1793-1868), civil engineer, deputy surveyor general and brother-in-law to Governor Darling. His brother, Colonel Henry Dumaresq (1792-1838), was military secretary to Governor Darling and had been granted the 12,000 acre-estate of St. Helier's (named after the Dumaresq ancestral home in Jersey) in Muswellbrook, New South Wales. The newly-built homestead seen in the present lot was demolished in the 1850s.
Conrad Martens arrived in Sydney in 1835 and remained in Australia for the rest of his life. He had a liking for the North Shore, with its panoramic vistas of the harbour and foreshores, and in 1844 built a house at St Leonard's. He built up a clientele of the colony's social elite, including the Dumaresqs, the McLeays and the Darlings, for whom he painted. Martens often made many views of, or from, his patron's residences, including the Dumaresq residence 'Tivoli' at Rose Bay, and the McLeay residence Elizabeth Bay House.
During the economic depression of the 1840s, Martens took on students to supplement his income, including Christiana Susan's three daughters: Elizabeth Ann (1831-1831), Susan Frances Sophia (1832-1901) and Eliza Henrietta (1841-1865). The two watercolours of a homestead and its garden in the album are in a different style to the views of St Helier's by Christiana Susan, and are likely to be by one of her daughters. The two watercolour views of a bush landscape and Sydney from St Leonard's are by a different hand again and are very much in Martens' style.
Category: Fine Art / Travel Pictures
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