William Marlow

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 30th March 1936, lot 97 (bt. by Agnews for £7.17.6, as one of a pair);
sold by Agnews to Ackermann in 1937;
with W. Russell Button, Chicago;
Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby's, 29th May 2003, lot 25 (bt. by the present owner for $24,000)

M. H. Grant, A Chronological History of the Old English Landscape Painters from the XVI to the XIX Century, Leigh-on-Sea 1958, Vol. III, p. 237

STRUCTURE The canvas has a firm lining. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in good condition. There is no apparent damage or loss of paint. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals two areas of retouching to previous damage on the right hand side of the picture, one in the sky upper right and the other, centre right at the end of the buildings. There is one further small area of retouching to previous damage, centre left. There is scattered very minor infilling to craquelure in the sky and along the lower section of the picture in the dark areas of the foreground. FRAME Held in a carved and gilded neoclassical frame. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com, or Ludo Shaw Stewart on +44 (0)207 293 5816, or at ludovic.shawstewart@sothebys.com.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

ENGRAVED:
by S. Middiman, published by Boydell, 1789

The town of Matlock, in Derbyshire, became famous as a spa resort in the eighteenth and early 19th century and the town flourished. At one point there were at least twenty 'hydros'; buildings or hotels where travellers went to be cured of their ailments. The large building on the hill in the present composition can be identified as the Old Bath Hotel, which was built in 1734. Part of the series of Boydell's Views, the present painting is a pendant to another view of Matlock by Marlow (Manchester City Art Gallery), for which there is a signed watercolour sketch from circa 1770 (Victoria & Albert Museum, London). Both paintings appeared on the London market together in 1936 and were eventually acquired by Ackermann, who sold the pendant to Manchester Art Gallery, whilst the present painting went back into private hands.