Richard Cosway (1742-1821)

Cosway was a prolific artist and at least one of his miniatures seems
to come up for sale in every major London auction.  However, his
drawings are not so often seen.  Even rarer are his oil paintings.

This oil painting, attributed to Richard Cosway, is the first we have seen
at close hand.  It could well be that because they are unsigned and
quite unlike his miniature work, they are not recognised.

When Cosway was training as an artist in London, he was said to have
painted erotic scenes on snuffboxes.  As far as we know, none of this
work has yet been discovered.

 

 However, some of his miniatures could
almost come into the category of erotic, such as this portrait of

 Lady Charlotte Sophia Leveson-Gower (later Duchess of Beaufort)

c.1787  Originally mounted in a gold box, this portrait was probably
painted for the benefit of her husband-to-be.

An unknown lady c.1785

 At one stage this miniature was probably mounted in a box, as indicated by
the instruction written in French on the reverse.  A smaller size
miniature of excellent quality, but not displaying the cloudy sky
background that became Cosway's trademark.

These next two miniatures are two classic 1790 miniatures with the famous cloudy sky background

 and signed in full on the back.

Unknown Gentleman.

The signature on the back with Cosway's Latin inscription stating he is

miniature painter to The Prince of Wales

Madame Marie Laubevinska, an opera singer.

Cosway output included a lot of pencil drawings, some of them coloured.

A pencil and watercolour drawing on card. dated 1796.  Either
Cosway never mastered perspective or else he deliberately elongated
the body for the sake of elegance.

  The face is very recognisable as by Cosway

A pencil and watercolour drawing on card.  c.1805  Earl
Harrington.  Rare signature on the back.  An extraordinary work,
reflecting the sitter's interest in magic and chivalry and his
obsession with Henry VIII.

Unknown Gentleman Signed and dated '18001'. 

 Cosway had never experienced writing
the numbers for the start of a new century and probably didn't know
how to 'start the year', hence the extra '0'. He was also rather
cheekily still using his elaborate signature with his boast of being
miniature painter to the Prince of Wales, which of course he was not
at this stage.  Horace Hone had been appointed in his place in 1795   .
This later miniature, in sombre colours is rather sad, as are all the
miniatures he painted in this 'grey' period, perhaps reflecting his
own state of mind.  Lacking the brilliant Cosway blue cloudy sky
background, his 'grey' period miniatures are never as eagerly sought
after by collectors