The painting is of importance as an early example of the fusion of prospect painting with the picturesque, combining topographical detail with a keen observation of light and atmosphere. The artist was a close friend and collaborator of William Hogarth by whose pencil his landscapes were often enriched, either with groups of figures from history or with rustic characters. The attribution of the figures in this landscape to Hogarth is consistent therefore with Lambert's practice and with Hogarth's style.

Provenance

Possibly commissioned by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington; Trelevan family, New York.