Description:

Charles Edward Perugini
Italian/British, 1839-1918
Likely Catherine Elizabeth Dickens Perugini (1839-1929) Reading Her Old Letters
oil on canvas
Monogrammed lower left, handwritten label and "Charles Roberson & Co." label inscribed "Mrs. Perugini / 38a Victoria Rd" on stretcher, 43 in x 33 in., framed, overall 49 in. x 39 1/2 in. x 2 in. 3 in x 33 in.

  • Provenance: Estate of Laura Jill King Ramey, Tyler, TX.

    Carlo "Charles" Edward Perugini was born in Italy in 1839 but spent his childhood in England. He later returned to Italy to study art under Giuseppe Bonolis and Guiseppe Macinelli, then under Ary Scheffer in Paris. During one of Frederic Leighton's voyages on the Continent, he met and befriended Charles, subsequently becoming his mentor. Through Leighton's encouragement, Charles left for England and established his own atelier. He exhibited his first work at the Royal Academy in 1863. While he struggled to sell his early paintings, he soon was able to gain a foothold with the right social connections and the wealthy art patrons of England. In 1874, he married a recently widowed Kate Dickens.

    Catherine Elizabeth Macready Dickens was the youngest daughter of famed author Charles Dickens. A strong-minded child, she earned the nickname "Lucifer Box" as she was known for her hot temper. Growing up the daughter of one of Britain's most famous men, Kate had a unique childhood, traveling with her parents abroad, and at one point even performing on a public stage for Queen Victoria. She demonstrated an early talent for drawing and was enrolled at Bedford College to study art. Well-known in cultured circles, Kate was even the model for John Everett Millais' famous painting "The Black Brunswicker."

    Her temperament raised eyebrows, as a headstrong, unconventional woman was often thought "brash" or "shameless" in the conservative society of nineteenth century England. She married pre-Raphaelite artist, Charles Allston Collins, who passed away in 1873. Soon after, she fell in love with and subsequently married Charles Perugini whom she met at Leighton's house. Their marriage proved to be remarkably egalitarian for the time period. Kate was a renowned and exhibited portrait painter in her own right, and she was often featured in many of Charles' paintings and remained his lifelong muse. His depictions of his wife always portray her with a delicate tenderness with his fondness clearly conveyed.

    In the impressive, three-quarters size portrait offered here, the sitter, likely Kate, is sumptuously dressed in elegant robes while nestled into silken upholstery and oversized pillows. She is holding a letter plucked from the carefully stacked pile to her left. In her other hand rests the fragile pressed remains of a forget-me-not, the Victorian symbol of remembrance for those who have passed away and a symbol of true love and devotion. While she holds the letter to her face, her eyes appear unfocused and her expression wistful, the look of someone lost in revery. Charles' masterful skill is evident in the detailed stitches of her luxurious shawl, the texture of the various draped fabrics as well as the poignant expression of the sitter engrossed in her memories. En verso is a "Charles Roberson & Co. Drawing Materials" label inscribed "Mrs. Perugini / 38a Victoria Road" which was the couple's address in Kensington documented in letters conserved at the Royal Academy as well as J.M Barrie's archives, amongst others.

    Ref.: "Charles Edward Perugini." Spartacus Educational. www.spartacus-educatin.com. Accessed Oct. 22, 2024; "Charles Edward Perugini." Rehs Galleries. www.rehs.com. Accessed Oct. 22, 2024; Hawksley, Lucinda. "Dickens's Artistic Daughter Katey." Lucinda Hawksley. www.lucindahawksley.com. Accessed Oct. 22, 2024; "Kate Perugini, 38A Victoria Road, Kensington, to [W.T. Whitley]." Royal Academy. www.royalacademy.org. Accessed Oct. 22, 2024, reference code: WTW/28; "Kate Perugini to Sylvia du Maurier – 1982." JM Barrie. www.jmbarrie.co.uk. Accessed Oct. 22, 2024.
  • Dimensions: 43 in x 33 in.
  • Medium: oil on canvas
  • Condition: Difficult to penetrate varnish layer with UV light; multiple campaigns of restoration visible; 1 ½ in. x 2 in. area of inpainting to the left of the elbow on pillow; toning of the varnish layer; adhesive is coming loose from mount; scattered marks, nicks, abrasions and accretions throughout; craquelure pattern throughout; paint loss and scratches along all edges from contact with frame; 3/8 in. tear to top canvas along left edge near hand; frame has separation at all 4 corners; scattered marks, nick, abrasions and cracks throughout.

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November 22, 2024 11:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

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