Research by Leominster Museums Hon Curator, Malcolm Mason, has identified two possible ‘lost’ paintings by Leominster-born artist John Scarlett Davis.

The first is the portrait of ‘The Very Reverend Dr Whittington Landon, Dean of Exeter (1813–1838)’ in the collection of Exeter Cathedral. This is listed as being by an ‘Unknown artist’.

In his biography of Scarlett Davis, Tony Hobbs notes that the artist moved to Yorkshire in 1825 and stayed for some time with the Rev James Landon in his home at Aberford.  While there, he gave Landon’s daughter, Letitia, some instruction in drawing. Hobbs quotes from a letter Davis wrote to his parents in March 1828 with the news that he was to paint a portrait of Letitia’s uncle – Dr Whittington Landon, Dean of Exeter and Provost of Worcester College, Oxford. The assumption has been the Rev James Landon provided an introduction to Whittington Landon, however this may not be the case. Whittington Landon was also Rector of Croft in Herefordshire; there is a memorial tablet to him in the chapel of Croft Castle. The museum has a watercolour of Croft Castle by Scarlett Davis, so it is quite possible that Davis met Dr Landon there and Landon provided him with an introduction to his relatives in Yorkshire and this prompted his move to the county.

Unfortunately Exeter Cathedral has no documentation for this portrait and research is continuing to confirm conclusively whether this work is by Davis.

The second portrait is of Charles Abbot (1757–1829), first Baron Colchester, and speaker of the House of Commons. The original of this portrait is by the noted artist, Sir Thomas Lawrence, and is now in the Parliamentary Art Collection. A ‘copy’ of the portrait was listed recently by an auction house as being by Lawrence, however Scarlett Davis was commissioned to make a copy of this picture in oils and to also produce a drawing for publication.

In a letter to his parents Davis proudly told them that: “Sir Thomas [Lawrence] who I have this moment come from has given me a portrait of Lord Colchester to make a copy of…”   Later, in April 1824, he wrote to tell them he had nearly finished the work:  “I have been for these last nine days working upon it, having scarcely allowed myself time to take my meals, but I have succeeded better than I could have expected myself even, it being quite a different style of painting to what I have been accustomed to but I would defy anyone to tell the difference and T. Scandrett likes mine better than the original. I wish you could see it my dear Father and Mother I know you would be pleased with it.”

As no other copy of this portrait of Abbot in oils has been found it seems probable that the picture sold at auction is the work of Scarlett Davis, not Lawrence.

As with many artists, Scarlett Davis did not always sign his art, and there are probably many of his works lised as being by ‘an unknown artist’ waiting to be discovered.