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Hurlingham Fine Arts
Tel01428 714991or07973801337Please quote Antiques Atlas.
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+44 1428 714991
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Lady Anne Blunt
A sunrise view of Sheykh Obeyd House from the east by Lady Anne Blunt, one of the most important figures in the history of the purebred Arabian horse and the first European woman to traverse the Nejd desert [now Saudi Arabia], in 1879.
Lady Anne Blunt was born in 1837 into an illustrious family, her mother was Ada Lovelace, the mathematician and first computer programmer, and her grandfather was the poet Lord Byron. The books 'The Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates' (1878) and 'A Pilgrimage to Nejd' (1881) are attributed to her and were based on her journals, although extensively edited by her husband Wilfrid Scawen Blunt.
Together with her husband, Lady Anne visited Syria, Arabia and India between 1877-1881, in search of purebred Arabians for their newly created stud at Crabbet Park in England.
Their travels took them to Cairo by November 1881 and the stable of Ali Pasha Sherif who they learnt had purchased some of the asil Arabians from the late Abbas Pasha I. They were told about a plot of land up for sale just outside Cairo, the Sheykh Obeyd garden.
The following is an extract from her journal, February 3rd 1882 " Wilfrid and I went with Mohammed Bedr el Din to see the garden at Sheykh Obeyd of which Sinadino had told us- it is further from Cairo, about a mile and a half I think, and extremely well cultivated-contains 37 acres inside a wall, a very small rubbishy house occupied by a chief gardener, who told us that 16 men have to be constantly at work- so that perhaps the garden may not be very dear as most people will hesitate buying a thing that obliges so much outlay. It is a charming place." The Blunts secured the property for £1500 and set about building their second stud farm.
During the following years a number of purebred horses were transported back to England and Crabbet Park. Some were acquired from Ali Pasha Sherif's stable but many were bred and sold by Lady Anne and Wilfrid at Sheykh Obeyd. The Blunts divided their time between overseeing both stables in England and Egypt, but when their marriage broke down in 1906 it was clear Lady Anne's heart was set on Sheykh Obeyd. She spent several months there every year until she finally left England for good in 1915, remaining at Sheykh Obeyd until her death in 1917. The house and gardens no longer exist today having been swallowed up by the ever expanding city of Cairo.
Lady Anne was an accomplished watercolour artist having taken painting lessons from the Pre-Raphaelite art critic John Ruskin.
According to her journal she visited Ali Pasha Sherif's palace on the 27th January 1889 to buy colts which were then delivered on the 29th January [there is no entry in her journal for the 28th January] On the 31st January she notes " This is the day when the foundations of the new building have been laid. I was out for an hour from 7 to 8 finishing my sunrise sketch of house [Sheykh Obeyd] from the east..."
Along with a second watercolour of Sheykh Obeyd which is currently being offered on our site this is possibly the last opportunity to acquire one of Lady Anne's Arabian subjects. Virtually all her watercolours of Egypt and Greater Arabia were sold by Bearne's Auctioneers in their sale on the 7th November 2007, and we now assume this collection has gone into private ownership. The present watercolour was purchased more recently from Bearne's and carries the same provenance.
Provenance:
Lady Anne Isabella Noel Blunt, 15th Baroness Wentworth.
Lady Anne's daughter, 16th Lady Wentworth, Judith Anne Dorothea Blunt-Lytton.
In 1957, under her will the collection passed to her Land Agent, Mr Gladstone Moore and thence by descent.
SellerHurlingham Fine Arts
View all stock from
Hurlingham Fine Arts
Private dealer
By appointment only
Hampshire
England
Tel : 01428 714991
or : 07973801337
Non UK callers : +44 1428 714991 or +44 7973801337
Lady Anne Blunt was born in 1837 into an illustrious family, her mother was Ada Lovelace, the mathematician and first computer programmer, and her grandfather was the poet Lord Byron. The books 'The Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates' (1878) and 'A Pilgrimage to Nejd' (1881) are attributed to her and were based on her journals, although extensively edited by her husband Wilfrid Scawen Blunt.
Together with her husband, Lady Anne visited Syria, Arabia and India between 1877-1881, in search of purebred Arabians for their newly created stud at Crabbet Park in England.
Their travels took them to Cairo by November 1881 and the stable of Ali Pasha Sherif who they learnt had purchased some of the asil Arabians from the late Abbas Pasha I. They were told about a plot of land up for sale just outside Cairo, the Sheykh Obeyd garden.
The following is an extract from her journal, February 3rd 1882 " Wilfrid and I went with Mohammed Bedr el Din to see the garden at Sheykh Obeyd of which Sinadino had told us- it is further from Cairo, about a mile and a half I think, and extremely well cultivated-contains 37 acres inside a wall, a very small rubbishy house occupied by a chief gardener, who told us that 16 men have to be constantly at work- so that perhaps the garden may not be very dear as most people will hesitate buying a thing that obliges so much outlay. It is a charming place." The Blunts secured the property for £1500 and set about building their second stud farm.
During the following years a number of purebred horses were transported back to England and Crabbet Park. Some were acquired from Ali Pasha Sherif's stable but many were bred and sold by Lady Anne and Wilfrid at Sheykh Obeyd. The Blunts divided their time between overseeing both stables in England and Egypt, but when their marriage broke down in 1906 it was clear Lady Anne's heart was set on Sheykh Obeyd. She spent several months there every year until she finally left England for good in 1915, remaining at Sheykh Obeyd until her death in 1917. The house and gardens no longer exist today having been swallowed up by the ever expanding city of Cairo.
Lady Anne was an accomplished watercolour artist having taken painting lessons from the Pre-Raphaelite art critic John Ruskin.
According to her journal she visited Ali Pasha Sherif's palace on the 27th January 1889 to buy colts which were then delivered on the 29th January [there is no entry in her journal for the 28th January] On the 31st January she notes " This is the day when the foundations of the new building have been laid. I was out for an hour from 7 to 8 finishing my sunrise sketch of house [Sheykh Obeyd] from the east..."
Along with a second watercolour of Sheykh Obeyd which is currently being offered on our site this is possibly the last opportunity to acquire one of Lady Anne's Arabian subjects. Virtually all her watercolours of Egypt and Greater Arabia were sold by Bearne's Auctioneers in their sale on the 7th November 2007, and we now assume this collection has gone into private ownership. The present watercolour was purchased more recently from Bearne's and carries the same provenance.
Provenance:
Lady Anne Isabella Noel Blunt, 15th Baroness Wentworth.
Lady Anne's daughter, 16th Lady Wentworth, Judith Anne Dorothea Blunt-Lytton.
In 1957, under her will the collection passed to her Land Agent, Mr Gladstone Moore and thence by descent.
Price
Click here to message the seller The price has been listed in British Pounds.
Conversion rates as of 23/APR/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Price to be added.
DimensionsSight size 21.5 x 34 cms
Overall frame dimension 45.5 x 57 cms
Category Antique Pictures / Engravings / Art
> Antique Watercolours
Date 1889
Late Victorian Antiques Material Paper
Origin English
Condition Good colour
Item code as988a052
Status For Sale
£2800.00 
$3717.00
€3273.76
$3717.00
€3273.76
Looking to Buy?
Arrange a final price and delivery details directly with the dealerClick here to message the seller
Conversion rates as of 23/APR/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Price to be added.
Terms and conditions
Payment by Bank Transfer or Cheque
View all stock from
Hurlingham Fine Arts
Private dealerBy appointment only
Hampshire
England
Tel : 01428 714991
or : 07973801337
Non UK callers : +44 1428 714991 or +44 7973801337
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