Decorative landscape - study for a room at Norbury Park

Trees played an essential part in the landscaping of country houses. Here they are used to frame an imaginary trompe l'oeil view for a room in Norbury Park, William Lock's house in Surrey. Four walls were covered with a continuous landscape encompassing lake, mountain and forest scenes loosely based on views in the Lake District. Barret's treatment of foliage is distinctive, and for drawing master Edward Dayes, his pencil studies of trees were 'some of the finest specimens in existence'.

Leonard G. Duke, London (1890-1971); purchased from him by Colnaghi (London), 24 November 1958; purchased there by William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967), 5 December 1958 (£65); by descent to his widow, Mrs Mary Spooner; Spooner Gift 1979

British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005

British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005; Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, 18/07/2005-23/10/2005; Hermitage Rooms, Somerset House, London, 16/11/2005-12/02/2006

Gaspard Dughet, called Gaspar Poussin 1615-75: a French landscape painter in seventeenth century Rome and his influence on British art, Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood, 11/07/1980-28/09/1980 ...More

The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 12
Fig. p. p. 97

Gaspard Dughet, called Gaspar Poussin 1615-75: a French landscape painter in seventeenth century Rome and his influence on British art, Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood, 1980
no. 66
Fig. p. repr.

The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 43 ...More

Watermark: Watermark: centre: crowned fleur-de-lis in a shield above "GR".

Label: Removed from a former frame, and now kept in the paper file: graphite, in the hand of L.G. Duke: “D1932/ George Barret RA 1732 (or 1728) to 1784 / LGD” and “C1775. A study, based on the scenery of the Lake District, for the room painted / by Barret for William Lock of Norbury. Cf Fig 7 in the paper by / Christopher Hussey in Country Life of Feb 17, 1934, on the Sandby room / at Drakelow + the Barret room at Norbury. LGD”, this label copied and typewritten on a separate label; printed in black ink, with the title and artist written on in black ink: “I-II A CLASSICAL LANDSCAPE. / DRAWING IN WATERCOLOUR BY GEORG BARRET. SEN. / R.A. / (1732-1784) / 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: / HYDE PARK 1943-44.”; printed in black ink: “N. M. ROTHSCHILD & SONS, / NEW COURT”.

Inscription: Recto: lower right corner, graphite, signed by the artist (according to the 2005 catalogue): "George Barrett”. Cut from a former support and now mounted with the drawing, in graphite: “G Barret”. Verso: a graphite scribble at right centre edge, resembling the top points of a crown.

Collector's mark: none.