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Lot Essay
This painting of St Paul's is thought to be the work that Roberts was working on when he died, leaving it unfinished on his easel. The artist John Ballantyne (1815-1897) shows it on the easel in his paintingof Roberts' studio, c.1864 (London, Barbican Art Gallery, David Roberts, 1986, cat. no. 213, where it was dated c.1862 but Ballantyne didn't arrive in London until 1863), illustrated in colour as plate 1 (Guiterman & Llewellyn, David Roberts, London, 1986, p. 6).
In his 1866 biography, James Ballantine (1806-1877) said Roberts' final painting was of St Paul's from Ludgate Hill (as quoted in Martyn Gregory's label text on the verso). However, the view in our painting is from Fleet Street; the characteristic spire on the right is that of St Bride's church, Fleet Street, and the spire of St Martin's, Ludgate Hill, is in the far distance (centre).
Our painting is therefore identifiable as St Paul's from Fleet Street, cat. no. 1 in the posthumous pre-sale exhibition of Roberts' studio contents at the Architectural Association, April 1865, and St Paul's, from Fleet Street in Roberts' Studio Sale, Christie's, London, 13 May 1865, lot 159.
Helen Guiterman noted that it was bought at the Christie's 1865 sale by 'Ballantyne' for 267 gns, elsewhere listing the buyer as 'Ballantine'. It's not clear whether this was the artist Ballantyne or biographer Ballantine.
We are grateful to Krystyna Matyjaszkiewicz for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
In his 1866 biography, James Ballantine (1806-1877) said Roberts' final painting was of St Paul's from Ludgate Hill (as quoted in Martyn Gregory's label text on the verso). However, the view in our painting is from Fleet Street; the characteristic spire on the right is that of St Bride's church, Fleet Street, and the spire of St Martin's, Ludgate Hill, is in the far distance (centre).
Our painting is therefore identifiable as St Paul's from Fleet Street, cat. no. 1 in the posthumous pre-sale exhibition of Roberts' studio contents at the Architectural Association, April 1865, and St Paul's, from Fleet Street in Roberts' Studio Sale, Christie's, London, 13 May 1865, lot 159.
Helen Guiterman noted that it was bought at the Christie's 1865 sale by 'Ballantyne' for 267 gns, elsewhere listing the buyer as 'Ballantine'. It's not clear whether this was the artist Ballantyne or biographer Ballantine.
We are grateful to Krystyna Matyjaszkiewicz for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.