Lot 25: George Dawe, R.A. (1781-1829)

Portrait of Nicholas I (1825-55) on horseback
signed, inscribed and dated 'Painted by G.DAWE St. Petersburg 1822' (lower left) and with later inscription in Russian 'Alek. Benkendorf/Gr[and]-D[uke]-Nikolai Pavl[ovich]/paint[ed] by Dawe (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
48 1/4 x 38 5/8 in. (122.5 x 98.1 cm.)

Aleksandr Benkendorf, St. Petersburg.

The son of engraver Philip Dawe, George Dawe was born in London in 1781. He left the Royal Academy at London with a gold medal. Well-educated, he spoke four languages. After the Napoleonic Wars, Tsar Alexander I invited him to St. Petersburg to paint the portraits of all the senior Russian officers who had fought against Napoleon. He travelled to St. Petersburg in 1819, where over the next nine years he reportedly painted numerous portraits. He quickly distinguished himself as an artist capable of creating at speed startlingly realistic likenesses.
Many of these portraits can still be found in the War Gallery at the Winter Palace.
During his stay in St. Petersburg he also painted portraits of members of the Imperial family.

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.