Library - Music Room with the Northwick Bacchus and Ariadne after Titian

This room has been described as being at Northwick Park, however, the enamel painting in an elaborate giltwood frame hanging over the fireplace appears to be the Henry Bone copy of Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne (originally bought from the artist by G. Bowles for 2,200gns. and later sold in these Rooms, 20 Feb.1973, lot 123) which was in the library of Lord Northwick's London house at Connaught Place and the proportions and dimensions of the room suggest a town house rather than a country mansion. It is equipped for musical recitals with a grand piano, a small organ and a music stand for an instrumentalist, as well as bookcases and a writing desk. The other paintings are mainly landscapes. Listed for the library in the 1826 valuation of the paintings at Connaught Place are works by Giorgione, Glover, Hofland, Potter, Wilson and Kauffmann. The costume and hairstyle of the seated figure - and her chair - suggest a date for this view in the 1830s.
An attribution to the artist Edward Wehnert (1813-1868) has been suggested. Edward Wehnert painted an interior at Thirlestaine House in 1860; it was acquired by Mario Praz (see S. Susinno, Le Stanze della Memoria, exhibition at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, 1987, no.63) with a provenance from the Spencer-Churchill collection at Northwick Park. There is a strong similarity of handling with the present drawing, but the large discrepancy in date makes an attribution to this artist only tentative. We are grateful to the Rev. David Addison for his help in preparing this catalogue entry