Old Masters Art

Classical Still Life of Flowers in a Vase French School, circa 1900 signed oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 22 x 18 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very good ...

A fine antique oil painting, on canvas, of horses pulling a tandem at speed. signed and titled lower left, Vine Colchester 1834 This fine painting shows two horses pulling an open carriage /gig with gentleman in extensive landscape/park The size of the painting is approx 50 x 80 cms, whilst overall the size framed is 100cm x 71 cm This is a fine painting in very good condition housed in a gilt frame ready to hang Provenance: The E. W. Towler Collection, formerly of Glympton Park, Woodstock, Oxfordshire see details below The artist John Vine was born with a disability that did not appear to interfere with his ability to draw and paint, largely self-taught as an animal painter, as his reputation grew he exhibited at the Society of British Artists in Grosvenor Square. Based at Colchester he painted many different subjects including farms, houses, children and animals. Eric W. Towler was a remarkable man. He was born in 1900 and left school at the age of 12 to work in a Yorkshire pit and through a lifetime of hard work, self-improvement, luck and a refusal to limit his horizons achieved many of his aspirations. As a Yorkshireman through and through, he believed in ‘spending the brass in his pocket’ and over time he was successful enough to acquire enough ‘brass’ to enable his purchase of Glympton Park and furnish it as a traditional country house with all the trappings – in his case collections of...

This simply stunning large Old Master landscape oil painting is attributed to noted Dutch artist Adriaen van Diest. Painted circa 1700 this Mediterranean Italian landscape painting h...

Camel is an artwork realized  in the 18th Century by an artisti follower of Stefano della Bella. Pencil Drawing.  The artwork is in good conditions . The artwork is depicted skill...

This marvelous portrait on vellum is the work of a rare Dutch Golden Age artist, Casper Casteleyn, who has also drawn a closely related portrait now at the Fondation Custodia in Pari...

Holy family with an angel, workshop Pieter Coecke Van Aelst (Alost, 1502 - Bruxelles, 1550) Faithful to the traditions of the late Gothic and early Renaissance, our painting depicts ...

A fine antique oil painting of horses pulling a stagecoach in snow , by John richard Worsdale (1869-1947) The artist portrays this powerful scene with an extensive view, featuring the stagecoach pulled by 4 horses and a village scene behind with buildings and peopla with another coach behind. oil on canvas, signed lower left, housed in a gilt frame. The size of the painting is approx 74 cms x 49 cms, whilst framed size is 90cm x 67cm. The painting is in very good condition, relined, with only some minor craquelure to the skyline, The frame appears original and is also in good condition with only minor age wear. Provenance: The E. W. Towler Collection, formerly of Glympton Park, Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Eric W. Towler was a remarkable man. He was born in 1900 and left school at the age of 12 to work in a Yorkshire pit and through a lifetime of hard work, self-improvement, luck and a refusal to limit his horizons achieved many of his aspirations. As a Yorkshireman through and through, he believed in ‘spending the brass in his pocket’ and over time he was successful enough to acquire enough ‘brass’ to enable his purchase of Glympton Park and furnish it as a traditional country house with all the trappings – in his case collections of antique furniture...

Dusk Landscape British School, 18th century oil on canvas, unframed painting: 32 x 41 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very good and...

This charming British Victorian genre oil painting is by noted exhibited artist Henry Tuner Munns. It was painted in 1865 in realist palette with superb detail in the young boy's fac...

Mythological Figures in Classical Sunset Landscape French School, 17th century oil on canvas, framed framed: 20 x 23.5 painting: 13.5 x 17 inches provenance: private collection, Engl...

Workshop of Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601-1678) & Hendrick van Balen (Antwerp, 1575 – 1632) 17th century Antwerp School The Virgin and Child ...

Still Life of Fruit French School, mid 19th century indistinctly signed lower right corner oil on canvas laid on board, framed framed: 27 x 35 inches board: 25 x 33 inches provenance...

Philippe, Duke of Orléans (1674 -1723), Regent of France Workshop of Jean Baptiste Santerre (Magny en Vexin, 1658 - Paris, 1717) French school circa 17...

This lovely British Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Sir George Kneller. Painted circa 1680 it is a half length portrait in a feigned oval of a lady in...

Biblical Figures, Large Gathering around Christ? Dutch Old Master, early 17th century oil painting on wood panel, stuck on velvet backing board velvet board: 27 x 29 inches board: 25.5 x 26 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: good and sound condition, obvious old panel...

This stunning Italian Baroque Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Guercino, Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (1591 - 1666) and it is ascribed verso. The paint...

Portrait of a Lady in a Blue Gown Holding a Sheer Scarf c.1675-85 Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) Titan Fine Art present this captivating portrait by the leading late seve...

This stunning Flemish Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Anthony Van Dyck. Painted circa 1630, the sitter is Frances Stewart née Howard (1578 -1639) Duchess ...

A delightful painting, oil on paper laid on panel, with beautiful Gainsboresque colouring. This is a fine Old Master circa 1770 landscape in the 18th century Romantic landscape tradi...

Oil on copper Comes with a certificate by dr. Jan De Maere 20/01/2023) Dimensions: 26 x 20 cm, 36 x 30 cm (framed) Johann König was a German painter and follower of Adam Elsheime...

The Angelic Visitation Dutch School, mid 17th century circle of Rembrandt (Dutch 1606-1669) oil on wooden panel, framed in faux tortoiseshell style frame. framed: 25 x 28.75 painting...

Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743) Circle Portrait of Philip V, King of Spain (Versailles 1683 - Madrid 1746) Oil on canvas 72 x 59 cm - framed 87 x 74 cm. The painting...

Still life with playing cards, coral, shells, a jewelry box and a stone sculpture Oil on canvas We'd like to thank dr. Fred Meijer for his attribution. Carstian Luyckx was a 17th ...

This painting has been the subject of a study by the art historian Fabrizio Dassie (available on request), confirming its inclusion in Jan van Bunnik’s corpus. In this painting, Ja...

Judith with the head of Holofernes, antique oil painting after Cristofano Allori. Painting has been restored. Dimensions without f...

Black and white etching and burin on wire rod paper. Second and final state, after the numbering. Signed, numbered and dated on the lower left margin of plate. 19° plate from the ser...

Nicolaes (or Claes) Molenaer (Haarlem c. 1630 - 1676) attributable Winter landscape with village, frozen river and travellers Oil on canvas 63 x 77 cm. - framed 82 x 95 cm. The pai...

London: 1799. Copperplate stipple engraving with hand coloring in watercolor, 17 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches (445 x 260 mm) (sheet), full margins. In very good condition with some minor, lig...

The Military Encampment Circle of Carel van Falens (1683-1733, Flemish) oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 8 x 10.5 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very good and so...

This rather handsome British Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Thomas Gainsborough. Painted circa 1780 the sitter is identified on the name plate as Archiba...

Winter Scene with Figures Dutch School, 20th century signed 'M. Feyen' signed oil on board, framed in elaborate gilt swept frame framed: 19.5 x 23.5 inches board: 14 x 18 inches prov...

This wonderful 17th century Old Master religious oil painting is attributed to Dutch Golden Age artist Benjamin Gerritsz Cuyp. Painted circa 1633 it is entitled The Annunciation to t...

This is a superb Italian Old Master portrait oil painting attributed to circle of Guido Reni. It is a half length portrait of the penitent Mary Magdalene...

Wonderful 19th century copy of Guido Reni's masterpiece, The Aurora, a large Baroque ceiling fresco painted in 1614 for the Casino, or garden house, adj...

A fine Old Master British portrait oil painting which dates to circa 1830 and depicts a girl. Painted by the president of the Royal Scottish Academy, Sir John Watson Gordon...

This stunning large 19th century landscape oil painting is attributed to follower of Joseph Turner, possible George William Mote. Painted circa 1850 it is a panoramic landscape loo...

This superb Dutch Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed as by a follower of Dutch 17th century artist Gerrard van Honthorst. The original of this painting hangs in Wilton House, Wiltshire, home to the 18th Earl and Countess of Pembrokeshire. The painting was previously attributed to Van Dyck by early cataloguers, but after exhaustive comparisons with the two Honthorst brothers' works, it was concluded that Gerrard van Honthorst was the artist who painted the original in Wilton House. Our painting was painted circa 1695 by a follower of Gerrard Honthorst. It was sold to us as circle of Cornelius Johnson. The sitter is Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, Earl of Holderness (1619-1682). He was an English army officer, admiral, scientist, and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalry commander during the English Civil War. Rupert was the third son of the German...

This lovely British 18th century Old Master oil painting is attributed to the manner of Thomas Beach. The sitter is Robert Monypenny (1771-1834) aged seven. He is the youngest son of...

This small yet captivating painting, crafted on a copper plate, dates back to the mid-1600s and was created by a Flemish artist. Subject Matter: The central figure in the artwork is Mercury, easily identified by his symbolic attributes like winged sandals, petasus, and caduceus. Beside him is a likely female figure, characterized by her attire and absence of weaponry. The depicted scene could represent two mythological tales: Mercury and Calypso: This interpretation suggests the artwork shows the moment Zeus sends Mercury to Calypso's island, Ogygia. Mercury is there to order Calypso to release Ulysses, whom she saved from a shipwreck but kept captive. The lush, wooded background and the three distant figures could hint at Ulysses' farewell to Calypso. Mercury and Herses: Another interpretation could be a scene from the love story of Mercury and Herses. The background figures might symbolize the sisters returning from a procession, while the forefront could be the initial meeting between Mercury and the most beautiful sister, Erse. Artistic Inspiration: The painting's landscape and setting are heavily influenced by the early 17th century Northern European art trends, especially the works of Jan Brueghel the Elder. However, the artwork stands apart with its unique luminescence in detailing and a distinctive approach to depicting figures. While the exact origin and artist remain somewhat mysterious, the style and treatment of light hint towards works close to Josse de Momper...

Dutch painter (19th century) – Interior of a tavern with smokers. 21 x 18 cm without frames, 31 x 28 cm with frames. Pair of antique oil paintings on canvas, in black lacquered woo...

Rest during the Flight into Egypt - The Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist and the angels in a Landscape. Attributed to Pieter Van Avont (1600-1652) 17th century Antwerp School, circa 1630 Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: h. 38 cm, w. 50 cm (14.96 in x 19.68 in) Flemish style frame in ebonized and moulded wood Framed: h. 56 cm, w. 68.5 cm (22.04 in. x 26.97 in.) In the heart of a lush wooded landscape, the Virgin with Jesus rests in a green clearing accompanied by Saint John the Baptist and the cherubs. Seated to the left of the composition, the Virgin Mary holds the Child on her lap; the little Saint John the Baptist wearing the camel-skin tunic (his attribute) stands before Jesus to exchange a few caresses. On the right, the couple of cherubs are playing with the lamb of Saint John the Baptist, bringing a jovial character to the scene. A pair of gardening putti on the left pick flowers to bring bouquets to the Virgin and Jesus. Spring flowers such as tulips, daffodils and anemones that grow abundantly around them and enrich the composition with their shimmering colors. A lush rose bush blooms to the left of the figures offering delicate roses. (The rose is the flower associated with the Virgin Mary, who is the "mystical rose," the one that does not bear the "thorn of sin") At the feet of the Virgin are bunches of grapes (symbol of the future passion of Christ) as well as apples (symbol of the original fall of Man but also of the Redemption in Christ) In the foreground we find a wicker basket filled in profusion with beautiful flowers and guinea pigs nibbling on the blades of grass. In a cleverly arranged disorder, these elements of the still life with their strong symbolic power accentuate the religious theme, but are also an opportunity for the artist to demonstrate his know-how in the still life genre that is gaining momentum in Antwerp. The landscape behind the figures consists of a large tree with a twisted trunk and a luminous opening to the horizon placed on the right. We see Saint Joseph arriving with a donkey, a small reminder from the artist that the composition is associated with the episode of Rest during the flight into Egypt. The calm expanse of this bucolic forest opening onto the luminous distance, with its profusion of symbolic flowers and fruits, is particularly suited to this sacred scene. The theme of Jesus' sacrifice and his tragic fate is mitigated by cherubs who play with innocence and carelessness in the face of the fragility of life symbolized by cut flowers. The great mastery of the painter is manifested by the finesse of the drawing enhanced by the delicacy in the application of the brushstrokes bringing a multitude of details. The richness of the whole is exacerbated thanks to the choice of colours, this varied palette is an undeniable asset of our work. The virtuosity of our artist lies in his versatility, as much concerned with the success of the landscape and flowers as with the modelling of his figures. The cherubs with their naked bodies are gracefully illuminated by warm colours with subtle shadows, while the still life is rendered with astonishing realism, both in the precision of the drawing and in the countless shades of the flowers. There are several compositions similar to ours, of which below are the closest versions: • Sale, Jean-Claude Anaf et Associés, Lyon, 08/02/1998, attributed to Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 48 cm, l. 71 cm (recorded on RKD n° 31451). Comment: identical composition, only St Joseph with the donkey is different) • Christie's New York sale, 29/01/1998, Pieter Van Avont, oil on copper, h. 23.8 cm, w. 24.8 cm • Dorotheum sale, Vienna, 25/04/2017, Pieter Van Avont and Jan Breughel II, oil on copper, h .26 cm, w. 39 cm • Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 50.5 cm, w. 71.7 cm Peter van Avont, Flemish painter (Mechelen, 1600 - Antwerp. 1652) Born in Mechelen, he is mentioned in 1620 as a member of the painters' guild of his hometown. He left in 1 622 for Antwerp, where he was also a member of the guild. He collaborated with many painters, including Jan Brueguel the Younger, David Vinckboons, Lucas van Uden...

A delightful large oil on canvas of a wooded landscape which dates to circa 1830 and is attributed to Irish artist James Arthur O’Connor. A superb painting and an excellent example o...

We are delighted to present a significant piece from the Dutch School, most likely dating back to the late 17th century. This captivating painting showcases the dynamic force of nature with three ships vigorously navigating through stormy waters. The foreground is a scene of nautical struggle, as figures are depicted working intensely with the sails, steering, and bracing against the tumultuous sea. In the serene background, the silhouette of a quaint town emerges, with spires from churches and the outlines of various buildings is visible. This juxtaposition of the calm town against the chaotic foreground serves as a powerful reminder of the unpredictability of life and nature. Dominating the canvas, the sky occupies two-thirds of the painting, filled with brooding clouds that occasionally break to reveal patches of blue. The presence of birds adds a dynamic element to the otherwise ominous atmosphere. While the artist remains unknown, the work is quintessentially Dutch in its execution, with meticulous attention to detail and a profound understanding of maritime life. The painting's oval shape is quite distinctive and is complemented by a suitably antique octagonal black frame, which adds to its historical charm. This piece is a testament to the mastery of Dutch maritime painting...

This very charming British 19th century Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Thomas Lawrence. Painted circa 1810 it is a seated half length portrait of a l...

This beautiful 18th century Italian Old Master oil painting is something rather special. Painted circa 1750 the subject matter is Saint John the Baptist as a very young child. He is ...

Carlo Grubacs (Perasto 1801 - Venice 1870) - Venice, pair of views of Piazza S. Marco and the Basin towards the Riva degli Schiavoni. 11 x 16 cm without frame, 29.5 x 34.5 cm with f...

This lovely Dutch Old Master oil painting is attributed to artist Pieter Wouwerman. Painted circa 1660 it is figurative landscape with horseback travellers and their dogs in the foreground with ruins on their right. Beyond is a river and hilly landscape, all in the fading light of approaching dusk. There are some superb details making this an excellent Dutch Golden Age oil painting. Provenance: Devonshire estate. Condition. Oil on canvas, 24 inches by 20 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in a complementary gilt frame, 31 inches by 27 inches and in good condition. Pieter Wouwerman (1623-1682) was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter. He was born in Haarlem. According to Arnold Houbraken, a biographer of artists from the Dutch Golden Age, Pieter Wouwerman was the brother of the landscape painters Jan and Philips Wouwerman, who, like his more famous brother, made a living selling Italianate landscapes in the manner of Pieter van Laer...

Circle of Paul van Somer (Antwerp c. 1577-1621 London) Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as Thomas Carey (1597-1634), youngest son of Thomas, 1st Earl of Monmouth Oil...

Classical Still Life of Flowers French School, early 20th century oil on board, framed framed: 12 x 8.5 inches board: 11 x 8.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition...

Muscular Made Nude, "Olympus"? sepia watercolour drawing on paper, framed framed: 23 x 15 inches painting: 20 x 13 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and sou...

The sitter is elegantly attired in a blue silk dress over a white frilled chemise and a striking crimson mantle. The artist, Thomas Murray, can be described as one of the most successful and talented during the last part of the seventeenth century. It is not surprising that Murray painted the portraits of King William III, Queen Mary, Queen Ann as well as several other high-ranking individuals. The influence of Sir Godfrey Kneller is evident and even expected considering the importance of Kneller, and even though the formula employed for head and shoulders portraits of woman during the period is similar, Murray’s work is distinguishable by a refined and elegant manner, a smooth overall feel, and often, distinctive eyes. Murray is known to have employed not only the same pattern as our portrait but the three distinctive colours (blue, white, red) many times. Thomas Murray was born in Scotland but moved to London to study with a member of the De Critz family. Later he was a pupil of the English portraitist John Riley (1646-1691), who was court painter to King William III and Queen Mary, and was practising as a painter on his own in the 1680s. In 1691 he took over Riley’s studio when that artist died in 1691 and he established a very successful practice. The Rev, James Dalloway accounted that Murray “was remarkable for his personal beauty and for the elegance of his manner” and he was also noted to have been hard working, courteous and popular with his customers. His portraiture retains an individual style and easily recognised but his earlier work is similar to John Closterman, who was a fellow pupil, and many consider this period to be his finest. Murray invested wisely in property and when he died in 1735, he left around £40,000. He had no children and he bequeathed his money to a nephew with instructions that his monument, with a bust, should be erected in Westminster Abbey, provided that it did not cost too much – but his nephew decided that it was indeed “too expensive” and the plan did not proceed. He is buried in St. Paul's, Covent Garden. Murray’s work is represented in many British country houses and private collections, the National Portrait Gallery London, Royal Society and Middle Temple in London, and in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. A good example of 17th century British portraiture...

This lovely Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Joseph Wright of Derby. Painted circa 1780 the painting is of a boy in a tunic and wide collar. A really c...

This superb British 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to Matthew William Peters. Painted circa 1780 it is a fine half length portrait of a woman gazing to her left. She has a lovely blue bow and sash on her dress. The sympathetic detail in her face is sublime. A really wonderful 18th century Old Master portrait. Matthew William Peters was known for his late 18th century portraits which had both the influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Provenance. Lincolnshire estate. Condition. Oil on canvas 30 inches by 25 inches unframed and in good condition. Has has restoration. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt carved swept period frame, 40 inches by 35 inches framed and in good condition. Matthew William Peters (1742-1814) was an English portrait and genre painter who later became an Anglican clergyman and chaplain to George IV. He became known as "William" when he started signing his works as "W. Peters". Peters was born in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, the son of Matthew Peters (born at Belfast, 1711), a civil engineer and member of the Royal Dublin Society; by Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of George Younge of Dublin. The family moved from England to Dublin when Peters was young. Peters received his artistic training from Robert West in Dublin; in 1756 and 1758 he received prizes from the first School of Design in Dublin. In 1759, he was sent by the Dublin Society to London to become a student of Thomas Hudson and won a premium from the Society of Arts. The group also paid for him to travel to Italy to study art from 1761 to 1765. On 23 September 1762 he was elected to the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. Peters returned to England in 1765 and exhibited works at the Society of Artists from 1766 to 1769. Beginning in 1769, Peters exhibited works at the Royal Academy. In 1771 he was elected an associate and in 1777 an academician. He returned to Italy in 1771 and stayed until 1775. He also probably traveled to Paris in 1783–84, where he met Léopold Boilly, Antoine Vestier, and was influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste Greuze. On 27 February 1769, Peters became a freemason, and he was made the grand portrait painter of the Freemasons and the first provincial grand master of Lincolnshire in 1792. In 1785, he exhibited portraits of the Duke of Manchester and Lord Petre as Grand Master at the Royal Academy exhibition. According to Robin Simon's article in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, no British contemporary had such an Italian manner of painting as Peters, reflecting the old masters he copied. Many of Peters' works were erotic and although these works did not damage his career, according to Simon, Peters later regretted these when he became an ordained clergyman in 1781. He served as the Royal Academy's chaplain from 1784 to 1788, at which time he resigned to become chaplain to the Prince of Wales. In 1784, Peters was awarded the living of Scalford, Leicestershire by Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland. In 1788, the Dowager Duchess gave him the living at Knipton, at which time he also obtained that at Woolsthorpe. These livings were near to Belvoir Castle...

This lovely British Old Master portrait oil painting is painted in the manner of Sir Henry Raeburn. Painted circa 1800, the sitter is Anne Neale Tucker Lauzun. She was born in St Geo...

This lovely French Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. Painted circa 1810 it is a head and shoulders profile of a beautiful woman, resting her head on one hand. There is superb attention to detail and vibrant colouring. An excellent example of a French Old Master portrait of the period. Provenance. London estate. Condition. Oil on canvas, 15 inches by 12 inches unframed and in good condition. Frame. Housed in a gilt frame, 20 inches by 17 inches framed and in good condition. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) was a French Neoclassical painter. Ingres was profoundly influenced by past artistic traditions and aspired to become the guardian of academic orthodoxy against the ascendant Romantic style. Although he considered himself a painter of history in the tradition of Nicolas Poussin and Jacques-Louis David, it is his portraits, both painted and drawn, that are recognized as his greatest legacy. His expressive distortions of form and space made him an important precursor of modern art, influencing Picasso, Matisse and other modernists. Born into a modest family in Montauban, he travelled to Paris to study in the studio of David. In 1802 he made his Salon debut, and won the Prix de Rome for his painting The Ambassadors of Agamemnon in the tent of Achilles. By the time he departed in 1806 for his residency in Rome, his style—revealing his close study of Italian and Flemish Renaissance masters—was fully developed, and would change little for the rest of his life. While working in Rome and subsequently Florence from 1806 to 1824, he regularly sent paintings to the Paris Salon, where they were faulted by critics who found his style bizarre and archaic. He received few commissions during this period for the history paintings he aspired to paint, but was able to support himself and his wife as a portrait painter and draughtsman. He was finally recognized at the Salon in 1824, when his Raphaelesque painting of the Vow of Louis XIII was met with acclaim, and Ingres was acknowledged as the leader of the Neoclassical school in France. Although the income from commissions for history paintings allowed him to paint fewer portraits, his Portrait of Monsieur...

Carlo Grubacs (Perasto 1801 - Venice 1870) - Venice, pair of views of Piazza S. Marco and the Piazzetta towards the Clock Tower. 19 x 24 cm without frame, 25 x 30 cm with frame. An...

Provenance : Arnold S. Kirkeby (1901-1962) Donated by Arnold S. Kirkeby to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1955, where it remained until its sale at Sotheby's, New York on Ja...

This stunning British Old Master landscape oil painting, with excellent provenance, is by George Lambert. Lambert was a pioneer of British landscape in art for its own sake. Painted in 1744, the painting is entitled View of a Manor House and Cottages in Elizabeth Einberg's 63rd volume of the Walpole Society 2001 and is described as follows: In the foreground a road emerges from a wood to cross a ford and then leads up the hill to the right, towards a manor house seemingly built into the remains of a medieval or Tudor edifice. The main track, crowded with sheep and rustic figures, passes the massive square gateposts lower down the hill on the left. Further to the left is a thatched cottage with smoke coming out the chimney. In the distance is a wide coastal view. The main buildings, which are in the dead centre of the composition, represent almost certainly an as yet unidentified English view. The colouring and detail in the trees and foliage are superb. This is an excellent Old Master oil painting by one of the all time great British landscape artists with extensive provenance. Signed and dated 1744 lower left on rock in black. Provenance. Elizabeth Einberg, “Catalogue Raisonnè of the works of George Lambert” The Annual Volume of the Walpole Society, 2001 Vol. 63, page 149 no P1744, fig.71. Antonacci Efrati Antichità Rome Gallery. Burden sale, Parke Bernet, New York, 20-21, April 1938 (376 repr.) Robert E. Peters, Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, March 1975 (41 repr.) Lit. Schnackenburg 1995, pp 83-84, cat. no.14 fig 13. Condition. Oil on canvas, 54 inches by 52 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt frame, 64 inches by 62 inches and in good condition. George Lambert (1700-1765) was an English landscape artist and theatre scene painter. With Richard Wilson he is recognised as a pioneer of British landscape in art, for its own sake. Lambert was born in Kent and studied art under Warner Hassells and John Wootton, soon attracting attention by the quality of his landscape painting. He painted many large and fine landscapes in the style of Gaspar Poussin and Salvator Rosa. Many of his landscapes were finely engraved by François Vivares, James Mason (1710–1785), and others, including a set of views of Plymouth and Mount Edgcumbe (painted conjointly with Samuel Scott), a view of Saltwood Castle in Kent, another of Dover, and a landscape presented to the Foundling Hospital in London. Lambert also obtained a great reputation as a scene-painter, working at first for the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, in London, under John Rich. When Rich moved to Covent Garden Theatre, Lambert secured the assistance of Amigoni, and together they produced scenery of far higher quality than any previously executed. Lambert was a man of jovial temperament and shrewd wit, and frequently spent his evenings at work in his painting-loft at Covent Garden Theatre, to which men of note in the fashionable or theatrical world resorted to share his supper of a beef-steak, freshly cooked on the spot. Out of these meetings arose the well-known "Beefsteak Club" which long maintained a high social reputation. Most of Lambert's scene-paintings unfortunately perished when Covent Garden Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1808. Lambert was a friend of William Hogarth and a member of the jovial society that met at 'Old Slaughter's' Tavern in St Martin's Lane. In 1755 he was one of the committee of artists who proposed a royal academy of arts in London. He was a member of the Society of Artists of Great Britain, exhibited with them in 1761 and the three following years, and during the same period contributed to the Academy exhibitions. In 1765 he and other members seceded and formed the Incorporated Society of Artists of Great Britain, of which he was elected the first president. In conjunction with Samuel Scott, Lambert painted a series of Indian views for the old East India House in Leadenhall Street. He also etched two prints after Salvator Rosa. Lambert was associated in 1735 with George Vertue, Hogarth, and John Pine (engraver, 1660–1756) in obtaining a bill from parliament securing artists a copyright on their works. Lambert's portraits were painted by Thomas Hudson, John Vanderbank (engraved in mezzotint by John Faber the younger in 1727, and in line by H. Robinson and others), and Hogarth. Lambert's most famous painting is "A view of Box Hill, Surrey" (1733) which depicts a well-known beauty spot south of London. Hogarth considered Lambert a rival to the famous French landscape painter Claude Lorrain (1600–1682) with respect to his use of soft light to unify the scene in this painting. Though he never visited Italy he was inspired by the classical tradition of landscape painting. Lambert died on 30 November 1765 at his home on the Piazza in Covent Garden. His pupils included John Inigo Richards...