Franz de Paula Ferg Vienna 1689 - 1740 London

Ferg probably executed this painting after 1724 when he settled in London. As with the present painting, a large proportion of works with this form of Ferg's signature have long English provenances, the V perhaps indicating the English name of his birthplace Vienna. Although his landscapes appear to have been very popular with the English, Ferg was to die in misery after making what is described by sources only as an 'unfortunate' marriage. 

This a rare winter landscape by Ferg which may be compared to another close in composition that was offered in these Rooms, 6 December 1989, lot 49, in which a frozen river with skaters and a horse and sleigh is similarly framed on the left by a tree and on the right by a cluster of buildings.