Works from collection of renowned art dealer Richard Feigen come to Newbury auction
06 June 2025 Dreweatts is offering a dedicated auction of works from the collection of the late Richard L Feigen (1930-2021).
Although the artist is unknown, this enigmatic portrait is dated to the 18th century. Catalogued as ‘French school’, the 3ft 3in x 2ft 7in (99 x 80cm) oil on canvas is unframed and estimated at £5000-7000. View the catalogue entry for this portrait of an artist.
The sale in Newbury, Berkshire on July 2 will feature 164 lots acquired by the well known Chicago and New York art dealer ranging from Old Masters to 20th century modernist pictures.
Sotheby’s sold 55 paintings from Feigen’s private collection in a New York auction in 2021 and works by some of the same artists will be featured here including Max Beckmann and Richard Parkes Bonington.
While Feigen sold works to institutions such as the Louvre, the Getty Museum, and the National Gallery in Washington, DC, he often described himself as “a collector in dealers’ clothes”. Dreweatts said: “This sale exemplifies Feigen’s bold and discerning approach to collecting.”
Here is a selection of five lots on offer.
1. Shaw’s woodcutter
A wide group of Old Masters and British pictures appears in the Feigen collection. Among them is this depiction of a woodcutter and his dog in a glade by Joshua Shaw (1776-1860). The 2ft x 2ft 6in (61 x 76cm) oil on canvas is pitched at £1000-1500. View the catalogue entry for this Joshua Shaw painting.
2. Soldier on copper
This small painting of a soldier holding a severed head is attributed to John Hamilton Mortimer (1740-79). The 9¼ x 7in (23.5 x 18cm) oil on copper previously sold at Christie’s in 1981 and here is estimated at £2000-3000. View the catalogue entry for this soldier painting.
3. Jupiter and Callisto
This charcoal sketch (heightened with white chalk) depicting Jupiter and Callisto was executed by Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson (1767-1824). The French artist was a pupil of Jacques-Louis David and this 7½ x 5¾in (19.5 x 15cm) drawing dates from c.1820. It is estimated at £2000-3000. View the catalogue entry for this Girodet-Trioson sketch.
4. James Gillray print
Among the prints in the Feigen collection is this James Gillray (1756-1851) caricature titled The Spanish Bull Fight or the Corsican Matador in Danger. The etching with original hand-colouring was published by Humphrey, London in 1808. The estimate is £250-350. View the catalogue entry for this James Gillray etching.
5. Portrait of an artist
Although the artist is unknown, this enigmatic portrait is dated to the 18th century. Catalogued as ‘French school’, the 3ft 3in x 2ft 7in (99 x 80cm) oil on canvas is unframed and estimated at £5000-7000. View the catalogue entry for this portrait of an artist.
