George Guy, Earl of Warwick (1818-1893) (according to Colnaghi, though no collector's mark present, and not listed in his 1896 estate sale catalogue); Frances L. Evans (d. 1972), by 1952 (when she lent it to the RA exhibition); purchased from her by Colnaghi (London), 15 April 1955; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978), 23 April 1955 (£250); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Drawings by Tiepolo and Guardi in the Princes Gate Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 31/07/1982-30/01/1983

Drawings by Old Masters, Royal Academy of Arts, Diploma Gallery, London, 1952

Byam Shaw, James, The drawings of Francesco Guardi, London 1951
no. 75 and p. 68 under no. 40
pl. 75

Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London, SW7, London 1959; II
no. 141
pl. CI
dated c. 1785-90

Drawings by Tiepolo and Guardi in the Princes Gate Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 31/07/1982- 30/01/1983, cat. by Helen Braham
no. 31 ...More

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Verso: lower right corner, graphite: "6".

Collector's mark: none.

Label: All removed, presumably from a former frame, and now in the object file. Printed in black ink and filled in with a typewriter: “ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS / DIPLOMA GALLERY, 1952 – OLD MASTERS’ DRAWINGS / Artist Francesco Guardi (1712-1793) / Title Capriccio / Name and / Address of Owner Mrs. Frances L. Evans, / Windrush, / Windmill Hill, / Hampstead, N.W.3. / (Please correct any particulars not properly given)”; in a printed black box at right centre: “Ser. No. / 251” and added upper left corner in graphite, Colnaghi’s inv. no.: “A20853”. Printed in black ink: “P.&D. Colnaghi & Co. Ltd. / (ESTABLISHED 1760.) / Experts, Valuers and Dealers / IN / Paintings, Drawings, Engravings, Etchings / BY THE / Old and Modern Masters. / 14, OLD BOND STREET, LONDON, W.1. / Telegrams: / COLNAGHI, PICCY, LONDON. Telephone: / REGENT 1943-44.”; information added in blue ink at upper centre: “A LAGOON SCENE / AN ORIGINAL DRAWING BY FRANCESCO GUARDI (1712-1793) / (FROM THE COLLECTION OF EARL OF WARWICK); added at lower centre in graphite by Witt: “Note that the back of the drawing is not toned, which proves the / Chinese white is / original ‘Guardi’.”. Two clippings printed in black from the 1952 Royal Academy exhibition catalogue or pamphlet: “200. Lagoon Capriccio with Ruins / Pen and brown wash, heightened with body-colour, on grey tinted / paper. 5 ½ x 7 ½ in. Coll: Earl of Warwick. Lit: J. Byam Shaw, / The Drawings of Francesco Guardi, 1951, Pl. 75. On the reverse is / EAST GALLERY / a slight sketch, in pen only, of part of a Roman arch, the same that appears on the verso of a drawing in the Metropolitan Museum (repr. / Goering, Francesco Guardi, 1944, 128). The paper of the verso is / white, proving that the recto was tinted by the artist before the drawing / was begun. / Lent by Mrs. Frances L. Evans.”. Printed in black ink: “From P. & D. COLNAGHI & Co. Ltd. / Printsellers and Publishers, / 14, OLD BOND STREET, LONDON, W.1.”; rest of the label filled in with blue ink pen: “Technique: The paper of the recto has been washed + stained / grey, to give effect to the bodycolour in sky and water, / evidently before the drawing was begun. The paper of the verso is / left / white / A picture of the same composition is in the collection of / D.A.T. Kessler, Brussels (on wood, 44 x 54 cm., / one of a pair), exhd. Amsterdam, Italian Art in / Netherlandish collections, 1934, no. 172 (repr. in cat.). / The sketch on the verso shows part of the same arch / depicted in the Metropolitan Museum drawing (Gorring, / Guardi, 128) and in two pictures (Gorring 130, / and Burlington Mag. Vol. 55 opp. p. 53). The / Metr. Mus. drawing is on the verso of a drawing / of the Fire at San Marcuola – i.e. of 1789. / This drawing is illustrated in J. Byam Shaw’s / book on Guardi drawings. Pub: in Faber 1951 at 276. J.B.S.”.