Sir George Hayter

Private collection, France;

with Lowell Libson Ltd., London, by 2012,

where acquired by Diane A. Nixon

According to his inscription, Hayter painted the present work near the northern French town of Amiens on 18 October 1816. He was en route for Paris and at the beginning of a major episode in his life, whereby he was to spend the next eight years living in Italy, largely between Rome and Florence. Hayter eventually returned to London in 1824 and went on to become one of the most celebrated painters of his day. In 1841 he was given the title ‘Principal Painter in Ordinary to Queen Victoria’, and the following year he was knighted.