1861 (year of production) Wood engraving mounted on grey card
180 x 305 mm. Purchase: Puttick and Simpson Auctioneers, Leicester Square, London 1924
Doyle's 'Bird's-Eye Views of Society'- series consists of sixteen images which were published in Cornhill Magazine between April 1861 and October 1862. Doyle wrote humorous articles to accompany each image.
Auction scene: a crowded room with many paintings of historical, biblical and mythological scenes on the walls.Decorative objects and antiques are placed in both lower corners. Sculptures stand on either side of the auctioneer who is placed behind his high desk centrally in front of the rear wall. People are standing or sitting and examining the objects and pictures. Two men carrying a painting, labelled 'Greuze', to the auctioneer's left. Doyle's initials are in the lower right-hand corner, the engraver's signature towards the centre of the lower margin. The paper has two folds and is yellowed with age.