(British, 1804-1872)
Royal Arcade, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Oil on canvas, 18 ¾ x 12 1/8 inches
Labels on stretcher verso: (handwritten in ink) “Dorigo/Newcastle on Tyne”; “#112. Arcade at Newcastle on Tyne./By Dorigo”
EXHIBITED: Artists Fund Society, Philadelphia, 1840, no. 42, as Interior of the Arcade, Newcastle, England (“for sale”)
PROVENANCE: Frederick Graff, Philadelphia, 1840 or later; (M. Thomas and Sons, Auctioneers, Philadelphia, Frederick Graff estate sale, Oct. 17, 1856, no. 112); Vaux family, Philadelphia
The labels on the reverse refer to Mr. Felice Dorigo, a musician and educator who lived in Philadelphia. Mr. Dorigo was the owner of the work when it was offered at the 1840 Artists Fund Society exhibition (the first label). The erroneous attribution of the work to him on the second label was made by the auction house representing Frederick Graff’s estate in 1856. Dorigo, who regularly published sheet music, is not known to be a painter.
About the Artist
(British, 1804-1872)
Thomas Allom was a painter and architect specializing in topographical illustrations. Born in England in 1804, Allom worked from 1819 to 1826 for the architect Francis Goodwin before attending the Royal Academy School. Allom went on to design buildings in London, Wiltshire, Liverpool, and Nottingham including St Peter's Church and the Houses of Parliament. Allom traveled extensively and contributed hundreds of illustrations for travel and topographical books.
