Rare sketch portrait found in US wheelie bin

The distinctive sketch was stumbled upon by an antiques enthusiast

A rare pen and ink sketch by a leading 18th-century British portrait artist has been discovered by chance in a wheelie bin in the US.

The piece, by Lancashire-born George Romney, depicts Henrietta Greville, Countess of Warwick, in a seated pose.

It will be auctioned at Roseberys on 12 March in London and has been valued at between £600 and £800.

The finished version of the portrait - in oils - is held in The Frick Collection, less than 200 miles from where the sketch was stumbled upon by an antiques enthusiast in Hudson, New York.

The collector, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "When I first found it buried in the wheelie bin it looked interesting but I had no idea it was nearly 300 years old.

"After taking it home and doing some research I couldn't believe it. How did this mid-18th century drawing from England end up in the trash in upstate New York?"

'Remarkable find'

Lara L'vov-Basirov, of Roseberys, said: "This is a remarkable find, and I'm delighted it was saved from the rubbish.

"This sketch is from Romney's mature period at the height of his sensitivity as a portraitist.

"It highlights his close relationship with the Grevilles, who were lifelong patrons and friends. We hope this discovery will help establish a provenance trail."

The work is regarded as typical of the artist's experimental technique, which marked him out from his contemporaries Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.

Henrietta Greville (née Vernon) married George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, in 1776.

Her brother-in-law Charles Greville introduced Romney to his artistic muse and lifelong obsession Emma Hamilton, the mistress of Lord Nelson.

Henrietta sat for Romney in 1777, 1782, and 1784, frequently appearing in his portraits alone and with her children.

Born in Dalton-in-Furness when it was part of the historic county of Lancashire, he died in Kendal, Cumbria, in 1802.