DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0415
ENGLISH, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
389
the Exhibition of 1761. Many things point to the probability that
Gainsborough made an annual visit to London during the exhibition
and it is quite likely that the apparition of Sir Joshua’s ‘General’
suggested the treatment of his own.”
The Reynolds referred to above is the portrait of Lord Ligonier
now in the National Gallery, London.
THE HARVEST WAGGON.
Thomas Gainsborough Collection of
Sir Joseph Duveen, Bart.
This picture bears comparison with Gainsborough’s famous Market
Cart in the National Gallery, London. Some critics even prefer it.
It is painted in oils on canvas (48 x 59 inches) and represents a country-
side and a scene very familiar to the painter. The country is rugged
with a wheel track winding from the left foreground away into the
distance towards the blue hills. On the left, there are massive boulders
overgrown with shrubbery and trees with russet foliage overhanging
the lane. The rustic dray-cart, laden with laughing country folk, is
halted to enable a young girl to clamber up over the wheel and into
the arms of a youth who bends forward to help her. The three horses
stand placidly while the driver adjusts the collar of the leader. A
panting dog capers by the cart and two sheep that have strayed from
their flock are seen resting by the boulders. The rock in the fore-
ground is signed with the initials “T. G.”
The Harvest Waggon gains particular interest because the two
young girls—one seated in the waggon and one climbing up over the
wheel—are Gainsborough’s daughters. The horses, too, are portraits-
horses that belonged to John Wiltshire, the chief carrier of Bath, and
the cart is one of Wiltshire’s “flying waggons.” In some accounts of
John Wiltshire he is represented as an ordinary dray-man, who drove
his own carts and made deliveries. This was not the case, however.
John Wiltshire was a man of importance in Bath, having built up a
large “carrying business” (which we would to-day call express), with
389
the Exhibition of 1761. Many things point to the probability that
Gainsborough made an annual visit to London during the exhibition
and it is quite likely that the apparition of Sir Joshua’s ‘General’
suggested the treatment of his own.”
The Reynolds referred to above is the portrait of Lord Ligonier
now in the National Gallery, London.
THE HARVEST WAGGON.
Thomas Gainsborough Collection of
Sir Joseph Duveen, Bart.
This picture bears comparison with Gainsborough’s famous Market
Cart in the National Gallery, London. Some critics even prefer it.
It is painted in oils on canvas (48 x 59 inches) and represents a country-
side and a scene very familiar to the painter. The country is rugged
with a wheel track winding from the left foreground away into the
distance towards the blue hills. On the left, there are massive boulders
overgrown with shrubbery and trees with russet foliage overhanging
the lane. The rustic dray-cart, laden with laughing country folk, is
halted to enable a young girl to clamber up over the wheel and into
the arms of a youth who bends forward to help her. The three horses
stand placidly while the driver adjusts the collar of the leader. A
panting dog capers by the cart and two sheep that have strayed from
their flock are seen resting by the boulders. The rock in the fore-
ground is signed with the initials “T. G.”
The Harvest Waggon gains particular interest because the two
young girls—one seated in the waggon and one climbing up over the
wheel—are Gainsborough’s daughters. The horses, too, are portraits-
horses that belonged to John Wiltshire, the chief carrier of Bath, and
the cart is one of Wiltshire’s “flying waggons.” In some accounts of
John Wiltshire he is represented as an ordinary dray-man, who drove
his own carts and made deliveries. This was not the case, however.
John Wiltshire was a man of importance in Bath, having built up a
large “carrying business” (which we would to-day call express), with