It can also be seen from the letter of February 1767, that Boyd had decided to commission two landscapes as over doors for the doors leading into the dining room and library. His chosen artist for these two paintings was George Barrett (1728 or Barrett was born the son of an Irish tailor and was essentially a self-taught artist who in his early years in Ireland specialised in the Italianate views. He moved to London in 1763, and within a year he had secured a number of distinguished patrons including the Duke of Portland and, shortly after, the Duke of Buccleuch. In many respects his subject material was similar to Martin’s. He was attracted to the natural landscape following a tour of North Wales and the Lake District, which inspired him to produce a number of sublime landscape views that became very popular and commanded high prices. He was, like Martin, an earlier member of the Royal Academy in 1768. Figure 4.9. The view of the front of Danson House, painted by George Barrett, circa 1768 It was common practice that if a pair of paintings was required, as in over doors or to go on either side of a room, one artist would be commissioned to paint both pictures. Boyd did follow this principle as can be seen from the sale catalogue of his paintings following his death. Due to financial circumstances, his son John Boyd II sold the majority of his picture collection in 1805. Within the sale we can see that Boyd was an active collector of fine art, as well as commissioning works from artists of the day to furnish Danson House. In his art collection we see pictures by Rembrandt and Cuyp, along with a number of English artists such as Wilson, Van Loo, Romney, Wheatley and Joseph Wright of Derby. Within the sale there were a number of paintings, which could be considered to be pairs, works by Wilson, Joseph Wright of Derby and Barrett had all been purchased, or painted, in pairs for Danson. However, the over doors in the saloon were painted by two different artists, one by Barrett and the other by Martin, and this would be considered unusual. Barrett had painted three paintings for Boyd, including the one for the saloon; he may have had other commitments to fulfil and was therefore unable to complete the pair for the saloon.
It can also be seen from the letter of February 1767, that Boyd had decided to commission two landscapes as over doors for the doors leading into the dining room and library. His chosen artist for these two paintings was George Barrett (1728 or Barrett was born the son of an Irish tailor and was essentially a self-taught artist who in his early years in Ireland specialised in the Italianate views. He moved to London in 1763, and within a year he had secured a number of distinguished patrons including the Duke of Portland and, shortly after, the Duke of Buccleuch. In many respects his subject material was similar to Martin’s. He was attracted to the natural landscape following a tour of North Wales and the Lake District, which inspired him to produce a number of sublime landscape views that became very popular and commanded high prices. He was, like Martin, an earlier member of the Royal Academy in 1768. Figure 4.9. The view of the front of Danson House, painted by George Barrett, circa 1768 It was common practice that if a pair of paintings was required, as in over doors or to go on either side of a room, one artist would be commissioned to paint both pictures. Boyd did follow this principle as can be seen from the sale catalogue of his paintings following his death. Due to financial circumstances, his son John Boyd II sold the majority of his picture collection in 1805. Within the sale we can see that Boyd was an active collector of fine art, as well as commissioning works from artists of the day to furnish Danson House. In his art collection we see pictures by Rembrandt and Cuyp, along with a number of English artists such as Wilson, Van Loo, Romney, Wheatley and Joseph Wright of Derby. Within the sale there were a number of paintings, which could be considered to be pairs, works by Wilson, Joseph Wright of Derby and Barrett had all been purchased, or painted, in pairs for Danson. However, the over doors in the saloon were painted by two different artists, one by Barrett and the other by Martin, and this would be considered unusual. Barrett had painted three paintings for Boyd, including the one for the saloon; he may have had other commitments to fulfil and was therefore unable to complete the pair for the saloon.
Tear_Paul_thesis.docx