CIRCLE OF SIR WILLIAM ALLAN R.A. (SCOTTISH 1782 -1850) OIL ON CANVAS, H 32", W 22", LORD BYRON AND CONTESSA TERESA GUICCIOLI IN A LANDSCAPE

Executed c. 1830. Unsigned. Depicting the young Contessa Teresa Guiccioli, in a white muslin gown and golden laurel wreath in her hair as she embraces an armed Lord Byron in a landscape. The five year affair between Lord Byron and the Contessa Guiccioli was the inspiration for what many believe to be his greatest poem, Don Juan. The relationship was considered scandalous as the couple appeared publicly on numerous occasions while Byron lived in Venice. After being pressured to leave Venice, the couple openly lived together in Piza's Lanfranchi Palace from 1821-1823. Throughout their relationship, Lord Byron was known to be armed with a sword (hence the rapier featured prominently)in this work) and pistols as he feared retaliation from the Contessa's husband, Count Guicciloi. Stretcher Having the fragment of a label from the Yorkshire Fine-Arts and Industrial Exhibition of 1866 on verso on which "and the Countess Guicciola in a landscape" is written. There were two paintings exhibited at the exhibition of 1866 whose subjects depicted Lord Byron: The first is listed as No 202 in the program as: "Lord Byron reposing in the house of a fisherman having swum the Hellespont" by Sir William Allan R.A. (contributed by R. Nasmzth Esq. Edinburgh). The second work, listed in the program as No. 211, is titled: "One of Lord Byron's Beauties (contributed by Mrs. Lacy of York). The exhibition program does not, however, list the artist. Why this work's title is not in the program as it is listed on the exhibition label is a mystery. Furthermore, why Mrs. Lacy did not share the name of the artist in the program (it may have been on a missing part of the exhibition label) is also unknown. To access the exhibition program copy and paste: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=gri.ark:/13960/t81k4c57v&view=1up&seq=109 In what appears to be a period carved wood, gesso, and gold leaf frame. Period, and likely the original stretcher. Original canvas cut and laid down on canvas c.1900. Provenance: Estate of George Palmer, Indian Village, Detroit, MI.
Condition: Showing previous restoration & reinforced canvas. Despite several layers of varnish and areas of repair and restoration, key elements of the painting retain their original pigment.