Samuel Howitt

Two, each signed l.l.and l.r., each inscribed l.c.: F. Concolr./life and F. Ocelot.of.Albany./Life, watercolour over pencilEach approx. 25 x 17.5 cm.; 9 ¾ x 6 7/8 inchesThe artist was self-taught and specialised in drawings of animals and field sports.From a wealthy Quaker family, Howitt took up art professionally when he encountered financial difficulties and became a drawing master in Ealing.He married Thomas Rowlandson's sister Elizabeth in 1779 and was part of Rowlandson's circle together with George Morland, Henry Wigstead and J.R. Smith.

Signed l.c.: Howitt, pen and grey ink and watercolour over traces of pencil13 x 18.3 cmThe artist, who married the sister of Thomas Rowlandson, is acclaimed for his country subjects. His animal sketches were frequently done from life.Provenance: Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven (1800– 1973)Henry Rogers Broughton succeeded his older brother, Urban Huttlestone Broughton, as 2nd Baron Fairhaven in 1966. He was born in the United States and was educated at Harrow before joining the Royal Horse Guards in 1920. Both brothers were great collectors, and Henry put together one of the largest twentieth-century collections of paintings, drawings, gouaches and miniatures. He left a large bequest of 120 flower paintings, over 900 watercolours and drawings and 44 volumes of drawings by botanical artists such as Redouté and Ehret to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge – the Broughton Bequest.