Joseph Farington R.A. (1747-1821) - Landscape study, possibly Stirling
Joseph Farington was a landscape painter who moved to London in 1763 and spent several years working under Richard Wilson. He was a member of the Society of Artists from 1768 to 1773 and entered the R.A. Schools in 1769. In the summer of 1773, he and his brother George went to Houghton to draw the pictures which were later mezzotinted by Earlom and published by Boydell. In the later 1770s he returned to the North of England, remaining until 1781, during which time he sketched in the Lake District. In 1781 he moved back to London and he lived there, at the political heart of the art world, for the rest of his life. He was elected A.R.A. and R.A. in 1783 and 1785, and in 1793 he began to keep his diary, which is one of the msot important sources of knowledge of the arts of the period. [1]
This landscape drawing was in Iolo Williams personal collection and is an interesting study by Farington. Williams has suggested in his own inscription that the landscape is possibly Stirling in Scotland. This seems a very reasonable suggestion as there does appear to be a castle in the distance and Farington is known to have down several works of Stirling. Two drawings of Stirling by the artist were sold by Christie's in 2002 that bear similarities to our work. [2]
This drawing is numbered '14' in the lower left-hand corner and could be a preliminary study for a larger work by Farington. Williams has numbered this picture '10' in his own hand which may refer to his own collection.
Medium: pencil drawing on paper, inscribed l.l. '14', 18.9 x 28.8cm, mounted (35.4 x 45cm).
Provenance: Iolo Williams Collection.
Literature:
[1] Huon Mallieu (2002), 'The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920: Volume I A-L', Antique Collectors Club: Woodbridge, p.241. See entry on artist.
[2] Joseph Farington, R. A. (1747-1821) General view of Stirling; and View of Stirling Castle, Christie's Sale, 26/9/2002, lot 102. https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-1861238
Condition report: general time staining with small markings, please see photos.