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Lot 74

BRUNEL (MARC ISAMBARD)
Portrait of an elderly Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849), seated in an armchair at his writing table, c.1845-1849

23 March 2022, 12:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £1,147.50 inc. premium

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BRUNEL (MARC ISAMBARD)

Portrait of an elderly Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849), seated in an armchair at his writing table, pencil and watercolour, label on reverse 'Sir M.I.B. writing with his left hand after his stroke', 95 x 78mm., with frame 138 x 120mm., c.1845-1849

Footnotes

The present image bears certain similarities to a watercolour by Dubuisson depicting Brunel and his wife Sophia sitting together and published in Celia Brunel Noble's biography, The Brunels: Father and Son, 1938, p.96. He was paralysed by a second stroke in 1845, necessitating his writing with his left hand as shown here. Brunel was painted several times in his career, by James Northcote in 1812-13 (NPG 978) and depicted in front of the Thames Tunnel by Samuel Drummond (NPG 89). The National Portrait Gallery also holds a pencil and chalk portrait of Brunel as an elderly man by William Brockendon (NPG 2525 (28)).

Provenance: Isambard Brunel (1837-1902); his brother Henry Marc Brunel (1842-1903); his niece Celia Noble; her daughter Cynthia Noble; Miles Jebb, Lord Gladwyn; thence by descent to his niece, the present owner.

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