19th Century Watercolors. Watercolors were popular during the 19th century with both professional artists and amateur artists. Many of the elite, aristocratic families had access to world travel and this medium was an excellent way to capture different countries and cultures in the same way that later photography would capture.
Watercolors were also and excellent way to capture botanic and zoological subjects for both personal learning and for book illustrations.
Miniature portraits were still popular and watercolor would often be used on ivory to produce tiny pendants and other miniature works of are.
Below are some examples and price guides of 19th watercolors including a series of paintings of shells and a watercolor on ivory portrait.
A large and impressive panoramic view of the city of Lahore
Punjab, Lahore, circa 1840-45
watercolour with some gold on paper, 11 separate joined sheets of paper, identifying inscriptions in Persian on painted surface, in mount, framed
24 x 235 cm.
Sold for £176,700 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2022
A series of 19th-century French watercolour illustrations of shells, notable for their very fine execution and extraordinary clarity of observation: these beautiful illustrations were completed in 1842-44, during the Golden Age of French botanical and zoological publishing.
Sold for GBP 43,750 at Christie’s in 2022
Gabriel Lekegian (Armenian, 1853-1920), late 19th century watercolor on paper depicting an Egyptian man in bright blue, signed “G. Lekegian” and illegibly titled (possibly “Istanbul”) l.r., 14 1/4″ x 20 1/4″ sight, 25 1/4″ x 32″ framed.
Sold for US$425 at Old Kinderhook Auction Company in 2022
Fine British School Portrait early 19th century.
Portrait of George Henry Harrison Esq (1816-1846) Standing in His Study, 1840, unsigned, inscribed verso “Portrait of G. H. Harrison Esq 1840”, gold ink, watercolor over pencil, 19 x 14-1/2 in.; gilt wood frame, 23 x 18-1/2 in.
Sold for US$1,600 at Brunk Auctions in 2022
French School, early 19th century
Portrait of a young boy, circa 1815
watercolour and bodycolour on ivory, gilt-metal mount
8.3 cm. Diam., 8¼ in. Diam.
Sold for 1,134 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2022
