拍品專文
Joli arrived in London in 1743/4 and left for Madrid in 1749/50. Between 1744 and 1748 he is recorded as a painter of theatrical scenery, and possibly also assistant manager, at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. He also executed a number of decorative schemes, notably that which survives in the hall of the Richmond home of the theatre's manager John James Heidegger (E. Croft-Murray, Decorative Painting in England 1537-1837, II, Feltham, 1970, p.226 and pls.35-6), and views of London and Richmond.
A smaller version (118 x 179cm.), with identical boats but with the view constricted at both sides, is in the Bank of England (by whom it was purchased in the Margam Castle Sale at Christie's in 1941). This was formerly regarded as the work of Canaletto (H. Phillips, The Thames about 1750, London, 1951, pp.138-9, illustrated, as attributed to Canaletto; W. G. Constable, Canaletto, London, 1962, II, p.387, under no.426 'from a photograph very doubtfully by Canaletto'; J. Hayes, A Panorama of the City and South London from Montagu House by Robert Griffier, The Burlington Magazine, CVII, no.750, Sept.1965, p.461 and fig.28, as Canaletto, 'an examination of the original leaves no doubt as to its authenticity and quality'), but is now generally regarded as the work of Joli (Croft-Murray, op. cit., p.225 'One of [Joli's] most important pictures of this kind, formerly given to Canaletto'; it was included in the exhibition London and the Thames. Paintings of three Centuries, Somerset House, London, 6 July-9 Oct.1977, no.18, illustrated, in the catalogue of which Harley Preston wrote 'it must rate as Joli's London masterpiece'). The connection with Canaletto is far from irrelevant, however, as, uniquely in Joli's oeuvre, both paintings follow to a large extent a prototype by Canaletto, the picture acquired in London c.1752 by Ferdinand Filip, Prince of Lobkowicz and now in the National Gallery at Prague (Constable, op. cit., no.426 and pl.78). The similarities extend to the boats, although in the Canaletto the parapet of Westminster Bridge is shown as not quite completed (the bridge was capable of carrying traffic by 20 July 1746, but the stonework was not finished and the centerings of the arches not removed until 25 July 1747), and the view of Lambeth Palace is entirely different, Canaletto's viewpoint for it being the tower on the façade depicted in the present painting. For Joli to borrow from Canaletto should come as no surprise, as the two Italian view painters spent over three years in London together and the Prague picture is known to have remained in London, quite possibly in Canaletto's studio, from its execution in 1746/7 until its purchase by the Prince of Lobkowicz c.1752.
KEY
(1) St. John's Church, Smith Square
(2) Brewhouse of the Crosse family
(3) Factory of Mr. Grey, engine maker
(4) Mr. Scott's Brewhouse
(5) Barnard's Yard
(6) House of Battey Langley, architect and author of an unexecuted design for Westminster Bridge, also wood-wharf of Charles Dixon, and stoneyard of Andrew Jelf, the
masonry-contractor for Westminster Bridge
(7) Westminster Hall and the turrets of the House of Commons.
Below are the trees of the Cotton and Speaker's Gardens
(8) St. Margaret's Church
(9) Bear Inn, Bridge Street
(10) Banqueting House
(11) York Buildings Water Tower
(12) The Temple
(13) Standgate
(14) Lambeth Palace
A smaller version (118 x 179cm.), with identical boats but with the view constricted at both sides, is in the Bank of England (by whom it was purchased in the Margam Castle Sale at Christie's in 1941). This was formerly regarded as the work of Canaletto (H. Phillips, The Thames about 1750, London, 1951, pp.138-9, illustrated, as attributed to Canaletto; W. G. Constable, Canaletto, London, 1962, II, p.387, under no.426 'from a photograph very doubtfully by Canaletto'; J. Hayes, A Panorama of the City and South London from Montagu House by Robert Griffier, The Burlington Magazine, CVII, no.750, Sept.1965, p.461 and fig.28, as Canaletto, 'an examination of the original leaves no doubt as to its authenticity and quality'), but is now generally regarded as the work of Joli (Croft-Murray, op. cit., p.225 'One of [Joli's] most important pictures of this kind, formerly given to Canaletto'; it was included in the exhibition London and the Thames. Paintings of three Centuries, Somerset House, London, 6 July-9 Oct.1977, no.18, illustrated, in the catalogue of which Harley Preston wrote 'it must rate as Joli's London masterpiece'). The connection with Canaletto is far from irrelevant, however, as, uniquely in Joli's oeuvre, both paintings follow to a large extent a prototype by Canaletto, the picture acquired in London c.1752 by Ferdinand Filip, Prince of Lobkowicz and now in the National Gallery at Prague (Constable, op. cit., no.426 and pl.78). The similarities extend to the boats, although in the Canaletto the parapet of Westminster Bridge is shown as not quite completed (the bridge was capable of carrying traffic by 20 July 1746, but the stonework was not finished and the centerings of the arches not removed until 25 July 1747), and the view of Lambeth Palace is entirely different, Canaletto's viewpoint for it being the tower on the façade depicted in the present painting. For Joli to borrow from Canaletto should come as no surprise, as the two Italian view painters spent over three years in London together and the Prague picture is known to have remained in London, quite possibly in Canaletto's studio, from its execution in 1746/7 until its purchase by the Prince of Lobkowicz c.1752.
KEY
(1) St. John's Church, Smith Square
(2) Brewhouse of the Crosse family
(3) Factory of Mr. Grey, engine maker
(4) Mr. Scott's Brewhouse
(5) Barnard's Yard
(6) House of Battey Langley, architect and author of an unexecuted design for Westminster Bridge, also wood-wharf of Charles Dixon, and stoneyard of Andrew Jelf, the
masonry-contractor for Westminster Bridge
(7) Westminster Hall and the turrets of the House of Commons.
Below are the trees of the Cotton and Speaker's Gardens
(8) St. Margaret's Church
(9) Bear Inn, Bridge Street
(10) Banqueting House
(11) York Buildings Water Tower
(12) The Temple
(13) Standgate
(14) Lambeth Palace