Samuel Daniell (BRITISH 1775-1811), THE PICO FORT, MADEIRA

Lot description

SAMUEL DANIELL (BRITISH 1775-1811)THE PICO FORT, FUNCHAL, MADEIRAWatercolour and heightened with scratching out and gum arabicWith pencil sketch verso39.8 x 41.9cm (15½ x 16¼ in.)Provenance:Bill Thomson, Albany GalleryMartin Speed LtdSamuel Daniell was the younger brother of William Daniell (1769-1837) and nephew of Thomas. On 5th September 1799 Samuel set off for South Africa, on board HMS Lancaster, in the suite of Sir George Yonge, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the region. They stopped at Madeira, leaving Funchal on 11th October and arriving at the Cape of Good Hope on 10th December. He returned to England in 1803 and immediately began work on publishing his celebrated African Scenery and Animals. In 1806 he set off once more, this time, for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he remained until his early death in 1811. The Pico, or St John the Baptist Fort was built in the early 17th Century on the hills above Funchal and is one of the key landmarks of the Island. It was built to form part of Madeira's defence system against frequent attacks by the Corsairs. A print after Daniell of Funchal from the sea is dated 1806. Another view of Funchal by Daniell was sold at Sotheby's on 12th April 1995, lot 172 (£8,500 hammer).`