Lot 2101 Dα

This winter landscape by the Venetian master Marco Ricci testifies both to the influence of his homeland and the fruits of his sojourns. Born in Belluno, located at the base of the Dolomites on the Northern edge of the Venetian Terraferma, Ricci was heir to a long tradition of landscape painting with its roots in the Cinquecento. He travelled to Venice as a young man, where he was taught to paint by his uncle Sebastiano Ricci, who specialised in landscapes and theatre sets. A meeting with Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, resulted in an invitation to London, where he also painted for the theatre. This acquaintance also provided him with the opportunity to visit the Netherlands and immerse himself in the rich heritage of Dutch landscape art. The evidence of this trip is clearly visible in the present winter scene, depicting a snowy landscape with leafless trees and peasants collecting firewood.