Wilton House from the South East (Wilton House…

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Wilton House from the South East (Wilton House…
Wilton House from the South East (Wilton House…
Wilton House from the South East (Wilton House…
Private Collection, England / Photograph Courtesy of Sotheby's
title=Credit line
Artist
Richard Wilson (1713/14-1782)
Title
Wilton House from the South East (Wilton House, South East View across the River Nadder)
Date
Undated
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Metric: 54.3 x 88.8 cm
Imperial: 21 3/8 x 35 in.
Collection
Private Collection, England
Wilson Online Reference
P76C
Description
On a warm summer evening Wilton House and the Palladian Bridge are seen in the middle distance across the River Nadder. By the river bank in the foreground is a group of three figures, one of whom is drawing.
Provenance
Paul Panton (1727-1797), Bagillt, Flintshire and Lincoln's Inn; thence by descent; Sotheby's London, 9 July 2015 (223); Chorley's Prinknash Abbey Park, Gloucestershire, 26 January 2016 (816); bt by present owner
Signature/inscription
Unsigned; no inscription
Mount inscriptions
[1] Two in pencil on frame and stretcher, upper left: No. 13
Labels
[1] Old handwritten label in black ink, upper member of frame, centre: Palladian Bridge, &c at Wilton, the | seat of the Earl of Pembroke, Wiltshire, | painted by Richard Wilson
Subject
Wilton House, standing at the junction of the rivers Nadder and Wiley, was designed to the commission of the 4th Earl of Pembroke by John Webb, son-in-law of Inigo Jones. It was severely damaged by fire in 1647 or 1648 and the great Palladian south front, designed by Isaac de Caus (perhaps with some assistance from Jones), was rebuilt. The house was completed by 1656. The Palladian Bridge, visible at the water's extremity, was built in 1737 by Henry the 9th Earl with the help of Roger Morris. In the 18th century the house was one of the most popular on the tour circuit because of its romantic picturesque setting and its great art collection. Two of the major attractions were the richly decorated 'Single Cube' and 'Double Cube' rooms, the latter hung with portraits by Van Dyck. In 1758, 2,324 people came to see the house and only Stowe and Blenheim could boast more visitors. Wilton provided inspiration for at least three Georgian houses - Houghton, Hagley and Croome.
Related Drawings
D352 Wilton House from the South East, Leeds Museums and Galleries
Related Prints
W. Watts, Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, published 20 May 1786, pl. LXXXII
Critical commentary
Watts's engraving (see Related Prints) is lettered: 'R. Wilson pinxt' and 'From a picture by R. Wilson in the possession of Paul Panton, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn.' On this evidence the present work may have been intended as its model from the outset.
Bibliography
WGC, pp. 188-89 under pl. 58b
Location featured in work
Wilton House, Wiltshire, England
More Information
The clock tower at the right of the building no longer exists in that form.
Condition/Conservation
Fitted in a gilded neoclassical frame.
Kate Lowry has noted: Viewed in frame. Original simple weave canvas with quite an open weave, glue-lined onto simple weave canvas in 20th century. Mounted on seven-member stretcher, dating from lining. Turnover edges not examined. Ground colour is off-white, visible in water at lower right where the overlying paint is thin. There is a recent surface scuff to the sky at upper right and an old damage and loss to the paint below this with discoloured retouch. Otherwise no major damages visible under UV light.
Conserved November 2016 by Sarah Walden.
Updated by Compiler
2016-11-24 00:00:00