The Golden Egg
£12,950
‘The Golden Egg’ by Richard Morton Paye F.S.A. (1750-1820).
The painting – which depicts the moment the young lovers in Thomas Dibdin’s Georgian pantomime discover the solid gold egg laid by the magical bird gifted to them by Mother Goose – dates to circa 1810 and hangs in a bespoke gold metal leaf frame.
During the past two centuries the painting has been attributed to both Joseph Wright of Derby and Sir Joshua Reynolds but now, following its recent rediscovery, it can finally be identified as the work of Richard Morton Paye; the theme, draftsmanship, and tenebrous composition all being typical of the artist, one of the most gifted and innovative painters of the early English School.
‘Harlequin and Mother Goose; or The Golden Egg’ was first performed at the Covent Garden Theatre in London on Boxing Day, 1806 and became the first great pantomime success of the 19th century. When the story begins a poor local girl called Colinette is about to be married against her will to the wicked Squire Bugle, played by the famous clown Joey Grimaldi. When Mother Goose intervenes, the Squire accuses her of witchcraft and she is sentenced to the ducking stool. When Colinette’s lover Colin defends Mother Goose she gifts him a bird that lays a solid gold egg. The characters are then all transformed into those of the Italian Commedia dell’arte, with the lovers becoming Harlequin and Columbine.
A contemporary (and rival) of Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough, Richard Morton Paye was an innovative and skilful painter of subject pictures, often featuring children. Despite exhibiting 64 times at the Royal Academy, between 1773 and 1802, illness and other misfortunes cost Paye lasting fame. Even during his own lifetime his work – which he invariably left unsigned – was attributed to and sold as the work of other artists such as Diego Velázquez, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, John Hoppner, and Joseph Wright of Derby. It is one of these paintings that we now offer for sale.
Academy Fine Paintings only offers artwork for sale in the finest condition it can be for its age, having been professionally cleaned, conserved, and re-varnished. Clients should also note that tracked and signed for international shipping is complimentary.
Dimensions: (framed) 99cm x 122cm (39” x 48”).
Dimensions: (canvas only) 87cm x 110cm (34” x 43”).
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Provenance: Historically attributed to Joseph Wright of Derby. 1993, Sotheby’s, London (as “Circle of Sir Joshua Reynolds”). 2021, Bonhams, London.
Presentation: Bespoke gold metal leaf frame.
Condition: Very good. Professionally cleaned, restored, and re-varnished. Ready to hang.