Lot Essay
Following his trip to Egypt in 1867, instead of continuing to Palestine, as he had originally planned, Lear travelled to the Italian Lakes, which he had previously visited in 1839 and again in 1844. The cool palette, with its soft blues and purples and yellows was perfectly suited to the subject matter and is in marked contrast to the bolder palette employed by the artist while in Egypt. Lear ended his tour of the Italian Lakes at Lago d'Orta. He stayed there for a few days before beginning his journey back to England.