Studio of Philip James de Loutherbourg R.A. (Basel 1740-1812 Chiswick)
A winter morning with skating in Hyde Park
oil on canvas
35 x 49 1/2in (88.9 x 125.7cm)
Produced in 1776.
Footnotes:
Provenance
Uno Langmann Limited, Vancouver;
Acquired from the above, 2007.

This painting was amongst de Loutherbourg's most famous works, and was the first of a number of depictions of popular amusements which the artist produced between 1776 -1787. In response to the popularity that the painting enjoyed, the artist sent Winter to be used by Matthew Boulton as models for 'polygraphs' or mechanical paintings. The process was established in 1776 as a means of making available, at a low cost, reproductions true to the original's color. To execute a polygraph, an aquatint plate was inked in several colors and transferred with pressure onto a prepared canvas; the copy was then hand finished and varnished. Boulton's mechanical paintings were only produced for four years because the expense of hand finishing made the process uneconomical.

In addition to the present work, other painted replicas produced by de Loutherbourg and his studio are in the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Strasbourg.

The original composition by Philip James de Loutherbourg is in the Government Art Collection, United Kingdom.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: W
W If the lot is not picked up immediately following the auction it may be removed to an offsite storage location for collection. Please contact the salesroom location for further details including dates of removal and applicable charges.

The canvas has been glue lined. The varnish has discolored yellow. There are frame abrasions evident along the edges. Under UV light, the painting has been selectively cleaned. There is an area of restoration approximately 10x2 1/2in (at its largest) along the edge in the center left of the composition. There are other minor areas of restoration scattered throughout the composition.