Francis Towne

(British, 1739-1816)

Lake Maggiore with Sunlight Breaking Through Clouds

, 1781

watercolor and pen and brown ink on paper laid to board, mounted by the artist

signed F. Towne, dated, and inscribed (lower left)

8 ¼ x 10 ¼ inches.

Property from a Private Collection, Taos, New Mexico

This lot is listed as catalogue number F313 in the online Francis Towne catalogue raisonné, as Lake Maggiore.

Provenance:

Arthur Champernowne, presumably bought from the artist

By descent to Arthur Melville Champernowne, great-grandson of the above

Sold: Sotheby’s, London, May 20, 1936, Lot 1

Private Collection

Sold: Sotheby’s, London, June 9, 1938

Palser Gallery, acquired at the above sale

Sold: Sotheby’s, London, March 19, 1958, Lot 33

Sir William Worsley, Bt, acquired at the above sale

Thence by descent

Sold: Christie’s, London, November 20, 1984, Lot 72 Colnaghi, London, acquired at the above sale

Acquired directly from the above by the present owner, 1985

Exhibited:

London, Gallery No. 20 Lower Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, Exhibition of Original Drawings, no. 120, 121, or 122, as Lake of Maggiore

Leeds, Leeds City Art Gallery, October 8 - November 23, 1958, no. 97

London, Colnaghi, English Watercolours & Drawings, May 8 - 24, 1985, no. 45

Literature:

Adrian Bury, Francis Towne - Lone Star of Water-Colour Painting, London, 1962, p. 144

Sir William Worsley, Early English Water-Colours at Hovingham Hall, 1963, p. 15

Timothy Wilcox, Francis Towne, London, 1997, p. 91

Gerald Bauer, Le Siecle d'Or de L'Aquarelle Anglaise, Paris, 1998, p. 42