Lot 48
  • 48

DAVID ROBERTS, R.A. | View from Waterloo Bridge, Embracing St. Pauls, Somerset House and Temple

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
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Description

  • Roberts
  • View from Waterloo Bridge, Embracing St. Pauls, Somerset House and Temple
  • signed and inscribed on the hull of a boat l.r.: David Roberts. R.A. No4
  • oil on canvas
  • 61 by 107cm., 24 by 42in.

Provenance

The Fine Art Society, London, April 1946;
The Parker Gallery, London;
Phillips, London, 11 November 1980, lot 18, where purchased by the present owner

Exhibited

London, Royal Academy, 1862, no.370

Condition

This picture is unlined and in good condition. The paint surface is dirty with a discoloured varnish and would benefit from a light clean. UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT The varnish appears opaque under ultraviolet light, making it difficult to read. There are obvious retouchings to the extreme upper edges and to the clouds but these do not appear to be excessive. FRAME The picture is contained in a moulded plaster frame (probably the original).
"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."

Catalogue Note

David Roberts made his considerable reputation as a painter of Scottish landscapes and the beauty-spots of Europe, where he travelled extensively. In 1860 he determined to paint a monumental view of London, telling a friend in December that year that he had ‘long thought that the river Thames and London itself was as good, if not better, than many things we go to other countries to look for.’ (James Ballantine, The Life of David Roberts, R.A., 1866) He was inspired by a desire to record the character of the city from the river before Joseph Bazalgette’s building work on the Victoria Embankment began to ‘change it from its present state, and which will totally alter its present appearance.’ (letter to a friend, 10 June 1861, National Library of Scotland). Roberts also recognised that scenes of London had become popular following the success of J.M.W. Turner’s pictures of the city. The impetus to begin work on the project was the death of Roberts’ friend and the architect of the Palace of Westminster, Sir Charles Barry, with whom Roberts had discussed the idea. During the months of July and August 1860 Roberts often walked the river-side path making copious sketches and during the following summer and the summer of 1863 he returned to the locations that he had decided gave the best vantages and began work on a series of twelve paintings. He had the financial support of the wealthy civil engineer Charles Lucas who agreed to buy all of the finished pictures. Four of the completed oils were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1862 and two more in 1863. Roberts died in 1864, leaving the series incomplete but the pictures that resulted from this ambitious project are a remarkable testament to the magnificence of the city and to Roberts’ skill. Lucas’ grandsons presented The New Palace of Westminster from the River of 1861 (exhibited at the Academy in 1862) and A Relic of the Past – St Pauls from Blackfriars of 1862 (exhibited at the Academy that year) to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. View from Waterloo Bridge, Embracing St. Pauls, Somerset House and Temple was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1862 where it was described as the sixth in the series of London views. A smaller, related version of St. Pauls and Somerset House from Waterloo Bridge was sold in these rooms (30 November 2000, lot 150) whilst St. Paul's from the Thames, Looking West exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1863, depicts the view from the opposite riverbank looking in the opposite direction (sold in these rooms, 25 November 2004, lot 301).