George Henry Harlow 1787-1819. British School Early 19th.Century. Pencil and coloured chalk drawing. Signed and dated August 26th 1815. 14 by 18 cms. To mounted image. 28 by 32.5 cms. Overall in contemporary gilt gesso frame. Some slight timestaining to sheet and repair to frame. Provenance: Christies London 15 June 1971 Lot 75.
Born and raised in London, George Henry Harlow entered Sir Thomas Lawrence's studio in 1803, and began exhibiting at the Royal Academy the following year. Precocious and prodigiously productive, Harlow had great success with portraits and theatrical subjects much in the manner of Lawrence, he died at the early age of thirty-one in 1819.