James Northcote RA (1746-1831, English), Two Leopards at Play from the Royal Menagerie

James Northcote RA (English, 1746-1831) Two Leopards at Play from the Royal Menagerie 1797 Oil on canvas Exhibited at The Royal Academy 1797 This incredibly rare eighteenth century painting depicts two leopards frolicking in an exotic landscape (reminiscent of Stubbs’s ‘Horse Frightened by a Lioness’). Painted in 1796 and exhibited at The Royal Academy 1797. Northcote was widely acclaimed as one of the eighteenth century’s finest painters of exotic animals and, having been trained by Reynolds, had a weighty reputation. The animals have been classified by zoological expert Dr Jonathan Scott as Sunda Clouded Leopards from Indochina, denoted by the clouded pattern on their flanks and the exceptionally large gape of their mouths - almost 90 degrees! And by their elongated canine teeth - the longest of any living felid. It is likely that Northcote will have studied these two rare animals whilst they were resident at the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London. Whilst many exotic animals were available to view at both the Royal Menagerie and others, very few artists were able to capture the character and anatomy with such impressive skill. Although Northcote had enjoyed prior financial and critical success with his portrait paintings, his animal paintings were particularly revered. Henry Fuseli, the Swiss Romantic painter and contemporary rival of Northcote, declared of Northcote's 'Angel opposing Balaam,' “Northcote, you are an angel at an ass, but an ass at an angel”. Born in Plymouth and apprenticed to his father, a poor watchmaker, in his spare time James drew and painted. In 1769 he left his father and set up as a portrait painter. Four years later he went to London and was admitted as a pupil into the studio and house of Sir Joshua Reynolds. At the same time, he attended the Royal Academy Schools. In 1775 he left Reynolds, and about two years later, having made some money by portrait painting back in Devon, went to study in Italy. On his return to England three years later, he revisited his native county and then settled in London, where John Opie and Henry Fuseli were his rivals. He was elected associate of the Academy in 1786 and a full academician the following spring. Northcote’s works number about two thousand, and he made a fortune of £40,000. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1787. Northcote also sought fame as an author, and his first essays were contributions to the Artist, edited by Prince Hoare. An entry in Northcote's account book from 1794-1796, p. 66, no. 324, refers to 'Two Leopards twenty Guineas <sold and paid for>'.  Property of a Gentleman Literature: Gwynn, no. 309; Whitman, 1903, no. 418 Dimensions: (Frame) 31 in. (H) x 35.5 in. (W) (Canvas) 24.5 in. (H) x 29 in. (W)