Stolen Art DealerFull-length oil portrait of Omai by Sir Joshua Reynolds, painted around 1776, on a large canvas.
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Catalogue No. 1982 · Sotheby's · London
Portrait of Omai
About $27.8 million in today’s money: 320 years of the typical US household’s income. Source
- Artist
- Sir Joshua Reynolds (British, 1723-1792)
- Title
- Portrait of Omai
- Date
- c. 1776
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Size
- 236 x 145.5 cm (93 x 57 in.)
Sir Joshua Reynolds painted Portrait of Omai around 1776. It is an oil on canvas measuring 236 by 145.5 centimetres, and The Art Newspaper describes it as a full-length portrait.
The painting was included in the artist's studio sale. It was sold again at Greenwood's in London on 16 April 1796, as lot 51, for 100 guineas to Michael Bryan. By 13 August 1796 Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, had acquired it from Bryan for Castle Howard. It then passed by descent to George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle. The provenance read shows no gap between 1796 and 2001.
Sotheby's sold it in London on 29 November 2001, as lot 12, and the present owner acquired it there. A GOV.UK export-review record gives the price as £10,343,500. The Art Newspaper, reporting on an export ban in March 2022, gives it as £10.3 million. Neither source states whether the figure includes the buyer's premium, and neither gives a US dollar equivalent.
The sale
- Auction house
- Sotheby's, London
- Date
- 29 November 2001
- Lot
- 12
- Sold for
- $14.6 million (including buyer’s premium) · £10,343,500
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Provenance
before 1796
The artist's studio sale.
16 April 1796
Greenwood's, London, 16 April 1796, lot 51, sold for 100 gns. to Michael Bryan.
by 13 August 1796
Acquired from Bryan by Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle (1748-1825), Castle Howard.
by descent
By descent to George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle (b. 1949), Castle Howard.
29 November 2001
Sotheby's, London, 29 November 2001, lot 12 (£10,343,500), where acquired by the present owner.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Reynolds' Portrait of Omai at risk of leaving UK (export reviewing record: sales, provenance, dimensions)
- The Art Newspaper: Omai, Joshua Reynolds export ban (14 March 2022)
Prices include the buyer’s premium, in US dollars at the time of sale, unless marked as a hammer price.