John Thomas Serres (1759-1825) - A Mediterranean Sailor c.1790

John Thomas Serres was the son the famous maritime arist Dominic Serres. He followed closely in his father's footsteps and became the marine artist to the Admiralty and marine painter to George III. This watercolour would have been produced whilst on his trip to Italy between 1790 and 1791. Arguably, this period in Serres' life produced some of his best works which are still highly sought after today. Alan Russett's comprehensive book 'John Thomas Serres: The Tireless Enterprise of a Marine Arist' (2010) includes a secion of this tour, pp.50-68. This includes a similar example of a young lady in a local dress whilst at Livorno in 1790. This could easily have been the location for the sailor in this watercolour as Russett said that 'he drew quick likenesses of the local people as he entered Livorno' (p. 57). Although equally it could have been Genoa or Naples. Most likely he would have used this figure composition in an oil painting as exhibited many subjects from his Italian tour.
 
Medium: watercolour with pen and ink on paper.
 
29.5 x 23.5 cm, framed.
 
Provenance: The reverse of the frame includes a collector's stamp as seen in the photos.