Lot 548: Alfred Tidey (1808-1892) PORTRAIT OF MRS ALFRED

Alfred Tidey (1808-1892) PORTRAIT OF MRS ALFRED SHAW, NEE MARY POSTANS, HALF LENGTH Signed and dated 1844, black and red chalk and pencil 31 x 23 cm; and two others: AGATHA ELIZABETH SHAW (born 1836) Signed and dated 1844 and a pencil sketch of Mrs Alfred Shaw 17.8 x 14.2 cm (3) Mrs Alfred Shaw (nee Postans) (1814-1876) was the younger sister of Captain Thomas Postans (1808-1846). Born in Lee, Kent she went on to become one of the most accomplished English singers of her generation. Trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and in Italy, many noted that her contralto voice was unequalled in Europe. Mendelssohn invited her to sing at his Leipzig concerts and she toured Vienna, Berlin and sang at La Scala. As well known in England as on the Continent, she performed in many concerts, operas and sang with Adelaide Kemble in Rossini's 'Semiramide' at the Theatre Royal at Covent Garden in 1842.