Hubert Robert

Eugène Kraemer, before 1913;
His deceased sale, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, May 5-6, 1913, lot 67 (with it's pendant, lot 68);
There purchased by an ancestor of the present owner.  

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This very large and decorative panel was originally painted on two sections of canvas joined horizontally through the middle. This join is particularly visible at present. The lining is not securing the paint layer at all well and bubbles and waves have developed throughout. The cleaning is uneven; in some areas the painting is still dirty and in other areas it is over-cleaned and has become dirty again. In the darker colors of the foreground, the architecture, the tress on the right and the ruins on the left, the condition is quite respectable. In the sky however, a good deal of abrasion has occurred as result of over-cleaning and although restoration is fairly minimal and perhaps confined to the old canvas join and a few other spots, a good deal of conservation is required to diminish the abrasion. The lining should be changed and once the surface is improved with a new lining, the paint layer may be cleaned and retouched. As has been said, the darker areas of the foreground and the landscape appear to be in reasonable condition. It is the sky that requires a good deal of attention.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This work will be included in the forthcoming critical catalogue of the paintings of Hubert Robert being prepared by The Wildenstein Institute.

Joseph Baillio has pointed out that, though the last legible letter of the date in Roman numerals is an "L" (making the date 175...), it was probably originally followed by other numerals.  Stylistically, this painting is not a work from the 1750s but later in Robert's career, probably from the 1780s. 

Another work sold in the auction of the famous Eugène Kraemer collection is the small painting Attributed to Fragonard depicting The Visitation (see lot 98 in this sale).