REYNOLDS JOSHUA: (1723-1792) English Portrait Painter. Scarce, dark ink signature ('Sir Joshua Reynolds') on a piece, slightly irregularly clipped at the base and most likely removed from a page of a visitor's book, attractively matted in ivory and cream and laid down alongside a small contemporary note in an unidentified hand, stating 'This is the signature and writing of Sir J. Reynolds on his viewing the house & paintings at Cowdray House in Sussex about 1785'. Matted beneath an antique engraving of the famous self-portrait of Reynolds (published by Cadell & Davies of London, 8th May 1809) and framed and glazed in a gold coloured frame to an overall size of 16 x 20. About VG

Cowdray House was one of the great Tudor houses of England, situated close to Midhurst in West Sussex. Several years after the visit of Reynolds, in September 1793, the house was largely destroyed by fire during the course of restoration work. From the collection of paintings acquired by the owners, the Viscounts Montagu, only three were to survive.