Francis Towne

Bequeathed by the artist to James White of Exeter (1744-1825);
by descent to Towne's residuary legatee John Herman Merivale (1779-1844);
by descent to his granddaughters Maria Sophia Merivale (1853-1928) and Judith Ann Merivale (1860-1945);
by whom sold to the Squire Gallery in 1933;
from whom purchased by John Boynton Priestley (1894-1984);
Anonymous sale, Phillips London, 29 January 1999, lot 28

R. Stephens, A Catalogue of the works of Francis Towne (1739-1816), unpublished Phd Thesis, Birkbeck College London, 2005, no. 293 R. Stephens, A Catalogue Raisonne

Support: The artist has used a sheet of laid Whatman paper showing the maker's watermark. At present it is inlaid into a modern sheet giving it a false margin for full display. This extension is stuck at its edges to a board. The original paper sheet is cut unevenly at the foot edge towards the right. There is some light staining in the sheet, especially in the lighter pigmented areas. A slight crease, running diagonally towards the left, shows in the trees at the top, and a 10cm vertical crease is also visible in the centre of the foot edge. Medium: The watercolour medium is in a good condition, though probably a little faded. Note: This work was viewed outside studio conditions. We are grateful to Jane McAusland for her help in providing this condition report. For further information regarding this lot please contact Mark Griffith-Jones (0207 293 5083) or Emmeline Hallmark (0207 293 5407) mark.griffithjones@sothebys.com emmeline.hallmark@sothebys.com
"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."

The present work is a superb example of Towne's distinctive experiments with dramatic contrasts of light and shade. It is one of a group of Rome views of which he was particularly proud and today stand out as exemplary works which demonstrate Towne's response to the brilliance of the Italian light and the dramatic topography of the landscape in an astonishingly modern manner. The juxtaposition of the dark silhouettes of the trees in the foreground and the brilliant white highlights of the foliage is in stark contrast to the subtle and softer treatment of the colour tones for the lake and hills beyond. Towne's confident use of pen and black ink has also allowed him to retain the direct originality of an on-the-spot sketch.

The present watercolour, dated 12th July 1781, was executed during Towne's final weeks in Italy. Towne drew this work early in the morning, and on the same day he drew another view of Lake Albano, now in the British Museum (1972-U.646.). The day before, Towne had made a view of Arricia (British Museum 1973.U.1348), which is probably now Towne's best known Italian work. In the present work, Towne is looking east towards Rocca di Papa and Monte Cavo. His viewpoint is therefore near Castel Gandolfo, visible in the British Museum view (see also Lake Albano by J.R. Cozens also included in this sale). Towne had started his Grand Tour the year before at the age forty-one. Often travelling alongside artists including Thomas Jones (see his watercolour also in this sale) and William Pars, Towne divided his time between Rome and the surrounding campagna as well as venturing further to explore Naples and the south. 

The provenance of this work is particularly significant as the artist bequeathed it to his close friend James White. The importance of this work and the exceptional condition in which it has been carefully preserved was fully realized when it was purchased in 1999 for the then record price for this artist at auction. We would like to thank Richard Stephens for assisting us in the research into this watercolour and for sharing his extensive research into Francis Towne, the most recent example of which complements the catalogue entry for this work (see 'Francis Towne's Views of Rome,' British Art Journal, Vol X, no. 3, 2010, pp. 46-55, 2010).