The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham

The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham
The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham
The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham
Private Collection, England
title=Credit line
Artist
Studio of Wilson
Title
The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham
Date
Undated
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Metric: 50 x 74 cm
Imperial: 19 5/8 x 29 1/8 in.
Collection
Private Collection, England
Wilson Online Reference
P89E
Description
The view is taken from the south side of the Thames near Petersham and shows the prospect upstream towards Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, with the pediment of Marble Hill House visible through the trees to the right. In the foreground a man is leaning against a tree, watching his companion bathing, with another swimmer seated next to him. To their left a laden barge is sailing downstream while two horses and a rider head in the opposite direction on the near bank. A man and woman are sitting before a wall under trees in the left middle ground, and in the sky the afternoon sun breaks through fleecy clouds, which are reflected in the water.
Provenance
Sotheby's London, 12 April 1995 (78)
Signature/inscription
Unsigned; no inscription
Techniques and materials
The trees are frothy and not painted onto reserves while the figures to the right are globulous and rather crude. There are no birds in the sky. The background figures are quite well articulated, but the blue of the sky is pasty, thin and broad-brushed, suggesting overpaint and the facture of the clouds seems later. In the left foreground the flowers seem over-detailed and some of the colours are post-1800. The parallel strips of light outlining the tree-trunk at the left are uncharacteristic. The junction of the trees and sky, especially to the left, is opaque and rather unsure. The water of the river is imprecise and sludgy. Overall the effect of the picture is colourful but not limpid.
Subject
The Thames at Twickenham was a fashionable location, which had attracted painters from the 1720s. The region had come to acquire an elevated status by the third quarter of the 18th century from the presence and publications of Alexander Pope, who made Twickenham his home from 1719 until his death in 1744 and was much involved in the planning of the gardens at Marble Hill. As a Palladian villa, Marble Hill House could claim kinship with both the great Venetian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio (1508-80) and the architectural heritage of ancient Rome. Later Sir Joshua Reynolds was amongst those who lived in the area.
Related Prints
E72/31 Thomas Hastings after Wilson, On the Thames, The British Museum (1854,0708.88)
Versions
See 'Links' tab
Related Works by Other Artists
Peter Tillemans (c.1684-1734), View of the Thames at Twickenham, c.1720-25, Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection, Orleans House, London
Critical commentary
The large number of versions confirms this as one of Wilson's most popular English subjects. Twelve copies dating from the 18th and 19th centuries have also been identified.
More Information
Marble Hill House was built for Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk and mistress of King George II. Roger Morris oversaw the construction of the house, which was completed in 1729. It was later occupied by Mrs Fitzherbert, mistress and morganatic wife of King George IV.
Condition/Conservation
Relined. Coarse weave canvas is showing through. The frame is rococo-style carved wood with gesso veneer.
Updated by Compiler
2021-03-23 00:00:00