Kate Lowry has noted: The painting was examined in its frame, off display. The gilt-compo frame is later than the painting and probably dates from the mid-nineteenth century. The frame is unglazed and not backed. The painting secured in the frame by brass plates. There are no distinguishing marks or labels on frame or stretcher reverse apart from the number '81' painted in black paint at the lower right corner of the stretcher. This number also appears on a small metal plate screwed to the face of the frame at the lower left corner. Possibly signed 'G B' in black paint at lower left corner, about three inches from the lower edge. No other signature or date found. The original support is simple weave linen, medium weight. This has been glue-lined onto a slightly finer weave linen. Original turnovers were removed at time of relining and the painting is now attached to the stretcher by tacks through the lining turnovers. The lining probably dates from the early twentieth century. The pine stretcher dates from the relining treatment and consists of seven members with square mortice joints and provision for keying out. The ground is not easily visible as access to the edges of the original canvas was limited by the frame rebate. However there are no obvious signs of a dark ground underlying the sky area, so a pale grey ground is probable. Dark foreground areas appear to be under-painted with a reddish brown. The paint is quite thickly applied in the sky and distant landscape and these areas are not particularly detailed. The middle ground contains more detail with a church tower and a villa right of centre and a ruined fountain and bridge at the far right. The foreground contains a group of four figures at the centre, two seated and two standing figures, possibly around a fire, two large boulders toward the left and a fallen tree and upturned cart toward the left corner. Some of these foreground details are difficult to read because of extensive drying cracks in the darks. Under UV light a thick layer of natural resin varnish is visible over all the painting. Minor retouches to the areas of drying crackle overlie the varnish film, as do some very tiny retouches to the figures and the ruins at the right of the composition. The most extensive retouching is present in the sky, where a vertical line of raised cracks at the upper right has been retouched over the varnish layer. This retouching then extends over the whole sky as a thin layer of glaze giving the sky a flat yellowish appearance in normal light.
The general condition of the painting is good; the support and its lining are sound, as is the attachment to the stretcher. The overpainted damage in the sky at upper right may still be unstable, but there are no recent paint losses. There are no signs of the painting suffering any damage to the support or any major paint loss in the past, nor has it suffered from over-cleaning.
