Lot Essay
This drawing, like lots 9, 10 and 11, dates from the mid 1780s and is one of the studies described by John Hoppner: 'studies he made at this period of his life, in chalks, from the works of the more learned painters of landscape, but particularly from Gasper (sic) Poussin' (anon. review of E. Edwards, Anecdotes of Painters, in Quarterly Review, February 1809, p.48, reprinted in Hayes 1970 and 1982, loc.cit.).
Gainsborough owned four pictures by 'Poussin', presumably by Gaspard (Hayes 1970, p.61), but his studies were not direct copies but rather exercises in the manner of the older artist. In this case Anne French has drawn a parallel with Gaspard's Classical Landscape with a Lake in the National Gallery of Scotland (exh. cat. Kenwood, 1980, no.18, repr.) while Hayes illustrates a Gaspard at Ickworth (1970, op.cit, pl.295). Lindsay Stainton also suggests a model for the presence of the rowing boat in Bolognese seventeenth century landscapes (exh.cat, Washington, etc., 1983, loc.cit.).
A copy of this drawing was formerly in the L.G. Duke collection
Gainsborough owned four pictures by 'Poussin', presumably by Gaspard (Hayes 1970, p.61), but his studies were not direct copies but rather exercises in the manner of the older artist. In this case Anne French has drawn a parallel with Gaspard's Classical Landscape with a Lake in the National Gallery of Scotland (exh. cat. Kenwood, 1980, no.18, repr.) while Hayes illustrates a Gaspard at Ickworth (1970, op.cit, pl.295). Lindsay Stainton also suggests a model for the presence of the rowing boat in Bolognese seventeenth century landscapes (exh.cat, Washington, etc., 1983, loc.cit.).
A copy of this drawing was formerly in the L.G. Duke collection