Kate Lowry has noted: Examined off display in its frame, unglazed and not backed. Frame is gilt-compo, later in style than the painting. It appears to have been cut down from a larger size to fit this painting and this is evidenced by glued and screwed joints visible on the reverse of the frame at centre top and bottom. More recently (2010) the frame has been regessoed and regilded. The original corner mouldings were not reinstated prior to the regilding, leaving the outer corners quite plain. The painting is held in frame with pins and tape.
Support: Simple weave linen canvas, relined relatively recently onto a heavier cotton duck material with wax-resin adhesive. Original turnover edges were not examined as covered by the frame rebate and by adhesive tape at reverse. The lining and its attachment to the stretcher appear to be secure and in good condition. The accessory support is a four-member pine stretcher with square mortice joints and provision for keying out. Good condition. Not original, probably late nineteenth century and dating from an earlier relining treatment.
Ground: The original ground colour is pale pink and this is visible beneath the sky in areas of minor paint loss.
Paint Film: The landscape foreground is underpainted with a warm transparent brown tone. There is a general pattern of mature cracks throughout the painting but there are no drying cracks. Under UV light and, to some extent under normal light, old retouching of mature cracks is visible in the sky. There are no retouchings present in any part of the landscape. The minute raised cracks in the sky, which have resulted in a scattering of minor paint losses, have not been retouched. At present all the paint appears to be secure. There are no major damages to the paint film or support visible under UV light.
Surface coating: The resin varnish coating is evenly applied with no build up of old varnish visible in the darker passages of paint. Retouches in the sky overlie this varnish film. Under close examination tiny specks of discoloured varnish remaining from a previous coating are visible throughout the sky, but this does not affect the overall general appearance of the painting, which is excellent. Varnish removal and the revarnishing of the painting with Laropal K80 was carried out by Gerard Tudhope in 2010.
The painting contains characteristic features that indicate this is a work by Richard Wilson at the peak of his power. In particular, the manner in which the tiny figures and animals dotted across the landscape are used to reinforce its depth and recession whilst adding to its interest and narrative content; the drawing down of the sky paint to the distant horizon and also to the central peak, where the slightly ragged brush stroke gives the effect of rough windswept grass at the mountain top; and the rendering of the distant sea, scattered with the sails of tiny boats, and the hills beyond, by scumbling light tones over darker ones to produce a very convincing effect of aerial perspective. Particularly striking is the fact that there is no single area in this painting that lacks its requisite detail or definition, which can sometimes be the case in Wilson's landscapes. Altogether an extremely high quality painting in good condition.
