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Radnorshire Fine Arts Ltd
Tel01597 272 439or07790 208 712Please quote Antiques Atlas.
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Non UK callers :
+44 1597 272 439
or +44 7790 208 712
or +44 7790 208 712
Artur (Arthur) Barbosa – ‘Surprise, Surprise’
Pencil, watercolour, and gouache, highlighted with white and gum arabic on paper. This is an alternative design for the book titled “The Memoirs of Coral Pearl, the erotic reminiscences of a flamboyant 19th-century courtesan,” published 1983. The picture is illustrated on page 340 in the book “Barbosa – The Man Who Drew Flashman” by Lawrence Blackmore. Published by The Book Palace Ltd, 2017.
This illustration can be confidently traced to text in the Blatchford version of ‘The Memoirs of Cora Pearl’ where Pearl enters a room and is unexpectedly surprised to see a naked man with a short moustache standing in a bath tub. Chapter nine, page 167.
This is one of three original artworks we have by Barbosa and we are confident that all three were put forward by the artist as alternative designs for the book titled “The Memoirs of Coral Pearl, the erotic reminiscences of a flamboyant 19th-century courtesan”, published 1983 by Granada. Although Barbosa designed the dust jacket no other illustrations are present in the book. The reason for not publishing the pictures is unknown and we can only speculate as to why.
Lawrence Blackmore points out that the first publication in 1886 of ‘Mèmoires de Cora Pearl’ was greatly anticipated but proved a dull disappointment. The names of the key players were only thinly disguised and the accounts of her sexual exploits and frivolities only tamely recounted. It quickly went out of print and disappeared. In 1983 Granada published ‘The Memoirs of Cora Pearl’ edited by William Blatchford. Barbosa designed the dust jacket. Blatchford claimed to have located a later volume of Cora Pearl’s memoirs, published in 1890 after her death that was decidedly more frank and sexually explicit than its predecessor. These ‘discovered’ memoirs proved to be a hoax, the real author being Derek Parker, a former Chairman of the Society of Authors and well known for his books on astrology, co-authored with his wife.
Artur Barbosa (1908-1995) was born in Liverpool, the son of the Portuguese vice-consul and a half-French mother. He studied at Liverpool School of Art and the Central School of Art in London. Whilst still a student he produced illustrations for Everybody’s Weekly and The Radio Times. He also designed for the stage and produced drawings for fashion magazines and leading advertising agencies. Barbosa was at school with the actor Rex Harrison, the friendship endured into adulthood when Harrison commissioned Barbosa to design the interiors of his villa in Portofino, this in turn led to a commission to refurbish Elizabeth Taylor’s yacht, the Kalizma Cecil Beaton and Laurence Olivier were also among his friends.
His prolific book illustration was the most constant and popular element throughout his long career and he was commissioned by authors such as C.S Forester, George MacDonald Fraser, Patrick O’Brian and Georgette Heyer. His stylised designs are immediately recognisable and have become a characteristic perception of the (extended!) Regency period (Hornblower and Flashman technically fall either side of the years 1810-20!) PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay can be processed through Stripe on our company website. We also accept payment by cheque and bank transfer. We offer two methods of paying by instalments the first is with Stripe, 'Klarna' / Pay in 3 monthly interest free instalments. Deferred payments can also be accepted over an agreed period of time whilst paintings remain with us, this method is also interest free. With Stripe the item will be shipped after the first instalment has cleared.
CONDITION AND PRESENTATION
If a picture is shown to be framed, then the frame will be included with the sale of the picture. All the pictures we offer are available for purchase in the condition you see them advertised. More details including high resolution images can be sent for closer inspection. For added protection unframed and mounted pictures are wrapped in clear polyester film before shipping to the customer.
SellerRadnorshire Fine Arts Ltd
View all stock from
Radnorshire Fine Arts Ltd
Private dealer
By appointment only
Powys
Mid Wales
Tel : 01597 272 439
or : 07790 208 712
Non UK callers : +44 1597 272 439 or +44 7790 208 712
This illustration can be confidently traced to text in the Blatchford version of ‘The Memoirs of Cora Pearl’ where Pearl enters a room and is unexpectedly surprised to see a naked man with a short moustache standing in a bath tub. Chapter nine, page 167.
This is one of three original artworks we have by Barbosa and we are confident that all three were put forward by the artist as alternative designs for the book titled “The Memoirs of Coral Pearl, the erotic reminiscences of a flamboyant 19th-century courtesan”, published 1983 by Granada. Although Barbosa designed the dust jacket no other illustrations are present in the book. The reason for not publishing the pictures is unknown and we can only speculate as to why.
Lawrence Blackmore points out that the first publication in 1886 of ‘Mèmoires de Cora Pearl’ was greatly anticipated but proved a dull disappointment. The names of the key players were only thinly disguised and the accounts of her sexual exploits and frivolities only tamely recounted. It quickly went out of print and disappeared. In 1983 Granada published ‘The Memoirs of Cora Pearl’ edited by William Blatchford. Barbosa designed the dust jacket. Blatchford claimed to have located a later volume of Cora Pearl’s memoirs, published in 1890 after her death that was decidedly more frank and sexually explicit than its predecessor. These ‘discovered’ memoirs proved to be a hoax, the real author being Derek Parker, a former Chairman of the Society of Authors and well known for his books on astrology, co-authored with his wife.
Artur Barbosa (1908-1995) was born in Liverpool, the son of the Portuguese vice-consul and a half-French mother. He studied at Liverpool School of Art and the Central School of Art in London. Whilst still a student he produced illustrations for Everybody’s Weekly and The Radio Times. He also designed for the stage and produced drawings for fashion magazines and leading advertising agencies. Barbosa was at school with the actor Rex Harrison, the friendship endured into adulthood when Harrison commissioned Barbosa to design the interiors of his villa in Portofino, this in turn led to a commission to refurbish Elizabeth Taylor’s yacht, the Kalizma Cecil Beaton and Laurence Olivier were also among his friends.
His prolific book illustration was the most constant and popular element throughout his long career and he was commissioned by authors such as C.S Forester, George MacDonald Fraser, Patrick O’Brian and Georgette Heyer. His stylised designs are immediately recognisable and have become a characteristic perception of the (extended!) Regency period (Hornblower and Flashman technically fall either side of the years 1810-20!) PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay can be processed through Stripe on our company website. We also accept payment by cheque and bank transfer. We offer two methods of paying by instalments the first is with Stripe, 'Klarna' / Pay in 3 monthly interest free instalments. Deferred payments can also be accepted over an agreed period of time whilst paintings remain with us, this method is also interest free. With Stripe the item will be shipped after the first instalment has cleared.
CONDITION AND PRESENTATION
If a picture is shown to be framed, then the frame will be included with the sale of the picture. All the pictures we offer are available for purchase in the condition you see them advertised. More details including high resolution images can be sent for closer inspection. For added protection unframed and mounted pictures are wrapped in clear polyester film before shipping to the customer.
Price
Arrange a final price and delivery details directly with the dealer
Click here to message the seller
The price has been listed in British Pounds.
Conversion rates as of 9/DEC/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Price includes postage and packing for UK.
DimensionsImage: 12 1/8 in x 12 1/8 in. (31 cm x 31 cm.)
Mount: 17 7/8 in x 17 5/8 in. (45.5 cm x 44.8 cm.)
Category Antique Pictures / Engravings / Art
> Antique Watercolours
Date 1980-83
1980s Antiques Material Paper
Origin English
Artist Artur Barbosa
Condition Cleaned and mounted using an acid-free museum grade board (no frame). All work has been carried out by an accredited paper conservator.
Item code as176a731
Status For Sale
£1300.00 
$1728.61
€1486.42
$1728.61
€1486.42
Looking to Buy?
Payment with PayPal is availableArrange a final price and delivery details directly with the dealer
Click here to message the seller
Conversion rates as of 9/DEC/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Price includes postage and packing for UK.
Shipping information
All our prices include FREE packing and delivery within the UK.
If you live outside the UK and you wish to purchase a painting, please contact us by phone or e-mail for further details concerning shipping costs.
If you live outside the UK and you wish to purchase a painting, please contact us by phone or e-mail for further details concerning shipping costs.
Terms and conditions
Returns and Complaints
Great care and trouble has been taken to ensure that all details written for every picture are correct and the photos are of sufficient quality so that each item can be viewed in detail. If the purchaser can find a fault (by way of a photograph) as proof of damage in transit that is not present in our promotional photo i.e. a tear in the canvas, broken glass, broken frame, damage to surface of picture, then a full or part refund will be offered back to the purchaser depending on the extent of the damage. This will only apply within 24 hours of signing for the parcel.
If the parcel has arrived and appears to be damaged in some way please return the parcel to us (unopened) and we will refund the purchase price on receipt of the picture.
If the purchaser can prove with written evidence from three independent experts that our description was false or misleading in any way then a full refund will be offered back to the purchaser.
Every effort has been made to give our clients complete confidence and satisfaction when buying from our company.
Great care and trouble has been taken to ensure that all details written for every picture are correct and the photos are of sufficient quality so that each item can be viewed in detail. If the purchaser can find a fault (by way of a photograph) as proof of damage in transit that is not present in our promotional photo i.e. a tear in the canvas, broken glass, broken frame, damage to surface of picture, then a full or part refund will be offered back to the purchaser depending on the extent of the damage. This will only apply within 24 hours of signing for the parcel.
If the parcel has arrived and appears to be damaged in some way please return the parcel to us (unopened) and we will refund the purchase price on receipt of the picture.
If the purchaser can prove with written evidence from three independent experts that our description was false or misleading in any way then a full refund will be offered back to the purchaser.
Every effort has been made to give our clients complete confidence and satisfaction when buying from our company.
View all stock from
Radnorshire Fine Arts Ltd
Private dealerBy appointment only
Powys
Mid Wales
Tel : 01597 272 439
or : 07790 208 712
Non UK callers : +44 1597 272 439 or +44 7790 208 712
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