Lot 174: Walter Saunders Barnard (British, 1851-1930)

Charles Dickens (1812-70), wearing grey coat, dark blue waistcoat and white chemise
watercolour on card, signed on obverse W A Barnard, rectangular black wood frame
Oval, 61mm. (2 3/8ins.) high

It is recorded that Dickens sat to Barnard at least twice. One of the miniatures, painted on ivory in 1868 was a treasured possession of the artist. Despite his penniless existence, Barnard refused £70 for the miniature and when he was knocked down by a tramcar in Islington and killed in 1930, the miniature was found in his pocket (see D. Foskett, A Dictionary of Miniature Painters, 1972, vol.I, p.150). At the inquest into his death, it was revealed that there was a second undated miniature of Dickens by Barnard which had purportedly been given by the artist to a Mr Strube (see R. Ormonde, Early Victorian Portraits, 1973, vol.I, p.145). It has not been possible to ascertain whether the present lot is the portrait in Mr Strube's collection, or whether it is a third and unrecorded miniature of Dickens by Barnard.

Lot Notice:
It has now been confirmed that this portrait is the one given by Walter Saunders Barnard to Mr George Strube, father of the present owner. Barnard gave the miniature in payment of for food and lodging at the Well's Hotel on Hampstead Heath, a tavern frequented by Fleet Street cronies. George Strube had inherited the tavern from his mother, but was more famous as a political cartoonist.