Franz Richard Unterberger

Mrs. Inderwick (and sold, her sale, Christie's, London, April 6, 1907, lot 30)
Mr. Sampson
MacConnal-Mason & Son, London
Acquired from the above
Thence by descent

Munich, Glaspalast, Internationalen Jahresausstellung, 1893, no. 1574

Die kunst unserer Zeit, Munich, vol. 8, 1896-97, illustrated after p. 76 (the photogravure)
Sybille-Karin Moser, F. R. Unterberger und die salonfähige Landscaftsmalerei im 19. Jahrhundert, Innsbruck and Vienna, 1986, p. 185, no. 104

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work is unlined, which is highly unusual for a work of this scale and period. It is possibly slightly dirty, but not unpleasantly so. The painting is in very attractive condition. The skies of Unterberger's paintings often have retouches for no apparent reason, and this picture is no exception. There are a handful of small isolated retouches in the sky that seem to be driven by purely cosmetic reasons, since there does not seem to be any actual damage. There are a few retouches along the bottom edge, perhaps to extend the picture slightly to fit in its frame. However, it is probably fair to say that all the retouches that may exist are cosmetic. The retouches have actually blanched slightly; it can be seen that the retouches have changed color on the top edge, slightly down the left side, and particularly on the right edge in the water and above the buildings. The work can certainly be hung as is, but it could also be completely cleaned, removing all of the restorations that may not necessary.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

For over a century Strada Monreale, Palermo was known primarily through a black and white engraving first published in Die kunst unserer Zeit in 1896-97. A similar composition was first painted by Unterberger in 1884.