Franz de Paula Ferg Vienna 1689 - 1740 London

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 11 December 1992, lot 47;
With Richard Green, London, from whom acquired by the present owner.

The paintings are slightly less brown and warmer in tone than the catalogue illustrations suggest. The paintings have been cleaned relatively recently and their varnish is shiny, clear and even. There appear to be no significant areas of damage or restoration. The paint surface in each picture appears fresh and in good condition overall, largely due to the copper support. The varnish fluoresces under ultra-violet light so no restoration is visible; only uneven thicknesses in the varnish layer. There may be some retouchings in the middle distance in both paintings, particularly in the water, but these are not immediately obvious to the naked eye. Overall the paintings appear in good condition, their figures intact, and they can be hung as they are. They are offered in matching gilt wood and plaster composite frames, in good condition overall.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This form of signature indicates that Ferg may have executed this work after 1724 when he settled in London. A large proportion of works signed FV have long English provenances, the V supposedly indicating the English spelling of his town of birth, Vienna. Previously Ferg had travelled quite extensively throughout Germany and Austria, spending extended periods in Franconia, Bamberg, Leipzig, Dresden and Lower Saxony, and this pair of coppers, along with all of his mountainous river landscapes, were presumably inspired by his travels through the Alps and up the Rhine valley. Originally he studied landscape painting with his father Adam Pankraz Ferg (1651-1729) and staffage painting with Johann Graf (1653-1710) in Vienna. While his landscapes display a distinctly German colouring they are also indebted to earlier Dutch, Flemish and Italian models in their fusion of landscape and genre. While his landscapes were collected widely Ferg died prematurely in London in 1740 a very unhappy man, having made what sources describe only as  an 'unfortunate' marriage.