Marco Ricci

George Proctor, Langley Park, Norfolk (1742);
by inheritance to his nephew, William Beauchamp;
Sir Thomas Beauchamp-Proctor;
by descent to Sir Christopher Beauchamp, Bt., London;
by whom sold, London, Christie's, 26-27 November 1974, lot 115

A. Scarpa Sonino, Marco Ricci, Milan 1991, p. 145, no. 14, reproduced p. 284, fig. 212

Laid down and nailed on the original wooden board. Overall in good condition. Some rubbing along the edges and at the corners. A tiny loss in the foreground below the trunk in the center. Light foxing especially in the sky, top left. Small losses of color in some areas especially visible to the left margin and bottom right margin. Sold in the original English 18th Century frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This and the previous lot were part of a group of five tempere by Marco Ricci which came from the collection at Langley Park, Norfolk.  Langley was purchased in 1742 by George Proctor who had lived in Venice and is believed to have acquired a number of Venetian paintings, among them four famous works by Canaletto.  The collection, first inherited by George Proctor's nephew, was extended in the late 18th century by Sir Thomas Beauchamp-Proctor, who had used the painter Henry Walton as his agent.  Annalisa Scarpa Sonino has suggested a dating between the second and third decades of the 18th century for this group of tempere.  She has noted that the present composition is one of the most pleasant of this subject, and writes: 'Il Paesaggio invernale è una delle più gradevoli raffigurazioni trattate da Marco in questo tema.  I ricordi dei Paesi Bassi emergono con la vivacità dell'immediatezza: la grande torre cilindrica con tutta la sua mole ripete strutture architettoniche realizzate dal Ricci in un gran numero di paesaggi e vedute....'.