An Italian River Landscape with Fishermen

Filippo Lauri was an Italian draughtsman and painter from Rome; a contemporary of Poussin and Claude whose smaller paintings were popular with European collectors. Around 1711 Lord Burlington, the architect and owner of Chiswick house, bought a small cabinet picture by Lauri. The painting featured in the earliest inventory of Chiswick House, and was hung in the Blue Velvet Room from 1753 through the 19th century. This 18th-century copy of the painting acquired by Burlington will be hung in the spot where LauriÂ’s work was displayed; the original painting is unlikely to ever be sold on the open market, making this a rare opportunity to evoke BurlingtonÂ’s display.