Edward Lear, Lago di Fucino, 1844.

Black chalk, pencil, touches of wash, heightened with white, on light grey coloured laid paper. Signed and dated 1844 lower right, inscribed Lago di Fucino lower left. 14 x 26 cm. (5 1/2 x 10 1/4 in), corners trimmed.

Provenance:
John Scandrett Harford (1787-1866); thence by descent to the present owner.

Engraved:
Edward Lear, Illustrated Excursions in Italy, 1846, plate 4.

“The solitary character of the place is most striking; no link between the gay populous past, and the lonely present; no work of any intermediate century breaks its desolate and poetical feeling. I could willingly have lingered there for hours, for I can recall no scene at once so impressive and beautiful.” [op.cit., 1846, p. 20].

Bloomsbury.