Julius Caesar Ibbetson

Siegfried Sassoon, CBE, MC (1886-1967), Heytesbury House, Wiltshire;

Thence by descent until anonymously sold ('The Property of a Gentleman'), London, Sotheby's, 10 July 1991, lot 82, for £26,000 to a private collector;

Private Collection, New York;

Anonymous sale ('Property from a Private Collection'), New York, Sotheby's, 27 January 2011, lot 353.

Leeds, Temple Newsam House, Julius Caesar Ibbetson, 1759-1817, 22 September - 31 October 1948, no. 57 (lent by Capt. Sassoon).

R. M. Clay, Julius Caesar Ibbetson, 1759-1817, London 1948, p. 123;

J. Mitchell, Julius Caesar Ibbetson, London 1999, p. 83.

The catalogue illustration is representative and the painting is in very good condition, with no apparent extant damage or loss of paint. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals very small scattered flecks of retouching in the sky, and the remnants of and old, slightly opaque varnish, especially in the lower half of the painting. The picture is held in a gilt wood neo-classical 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.
"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."

A market and manufacturing town near Ripon, close to the Yorkshire Dales, Masham was prominent in the local wool trade in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Ibbetson first visited the town in 1803, before settling there permanently with his family in 1804. He painted the town's market on a number of occasions, of which this picture is one of his finest, the handling and subtle colouring displaying a deep knowledge of earlier Dutch masters, such as Berchem and Wouwerman. Another version, slightly larger, includes portraits of the local squire William Danby and his wife, as well as a number of other well know local residents (Private Collection).