Painting of the Week - Thomas Barker
Great Waterfall at Tivoli through Ponte Lupo
This superb exhibited British 18th century Old Master Italian landscape oil painting is by noted artist Thomas Barker of Bath. Painted in 1794 and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1796, the location is Tivoli. One has a close up view through the towering Pont Lupo, or Wolf Bridge, a Roman aqueduct built in 144 BC, to The Great Waterfall of Tivoli beyond. In the foreground are travellers on horse back talking to some locals who are gesturing the route. The warm tones of the surroundings in the foreground really contrasts with the misty, almost mystical waterfall in the sunshine in the background. A beautiful painting and an excellent example of Barker of Bath's early work.
Signed lower left and dated 1794.
Provenance Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1796 no. 343 entitled 'A view of the Great Waterfall of Tivoli, seen through the Pont Lupo'.
Purchased at Christie's, London 15th April 1994 (£ 22,000 hammer price)(£30,000 with fees)
Galerie Christa Cackett - label verso.
Click the link below for this painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/barker/great-waterfall-at-tivoli-through-ponte-lupo