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Attributed to John Inigo Richards (1731-1810) South West view of Sadler's Wells Theatre, a gentleman fishing in the New River Oil on canvas 43 x 63cm; 17 x 24¾in Provenance: Admiral Sir Lionel Preston, K.C.B. (1875-1971) Christie's, London, 9th May 1947 Sold to Jetley for 45 guineas Peter Ascroft by whose estate sold in 2016 This is thought to be the earliest oil painting of Sadler's Wells - the second oldest theatre in London and is likely to have been painted c.1765-75. The style of painting is very close to George Lambert who died in 1765 and the picture may well be by Lambert's pupil, John Inigo Richards who often worked as a theatre set designer and was Hogarth's godson. At the time of this painting, as well as offering entertainments and health-giving waters, the theatre held a gallery of paintings, mostly of classical gods in suggestive love-scenes and the couple in the painting are seen entering the gallery. This fascinating landscape is the earliest oil painting of Sadler's Wells which is currently known to exist. Sadler's Wells is the second oldest existing theatre in London, after the Theatre Royal on Dury Lane and, in consideration of the architecture depicted, the picture is likely to have been painted c.1765-75. The style of painting is very close to George Lambert who died in 1765 and the picture may well be by Lambert's pupil, John Inigo Richards who often worked as a theatre set designer and was Hogarth's godson. In 1683 Richard Sadler opened a 'Musick House' in which singers and entertainers amused the public. Later that same year a well was discovered and within a couple of years five or six hundred people frequented the Musick House every morning to benefit from the waters. Gradually the popularity of the waters diminished and Sadler was forced to rely upon his entertainments which included a gallery of paintings. These paintings were all of classical gods in suggestive love-scenes - Neptune and a Nymph, Apollo and Daphne, Jupiter and Europa . In the present painting a couple is walking towards the entrance clearly marked as 'Gallery'. It certainly seems that Sadler's Wells deserved its eighteenth century reputation as 'a nursery of debauchery'. In some respects the inscription above the gable relates to this. The inscription reads Sadlers / Wells / Licensed by Act / of Parliament / of 25 George 2nd. Act of Parliament 25 Geo.2, c.36, known as the Act for Regulating Places of Public Entertainment, was intended to provide clear guidelines to magistrates granting licences to places of entertainment both in the Cities of London and Westminster and within a twenty mile radius. In 1746 management of Sadler's Wells passed to Thomas Rosoman. Rosoman made a number of changes to the site including, in 1754, the enclosure of the New River with wooden 'pallisadoes' to prevent angling, netting, bathing and dogs . He put up an iron chain and lamps by the river to prevent people from falling in. More fundamentally, in 1764, Rosoman tore down the old wooden theatre and a new theatre of stone and brick was constructed. This saw the establishment of opera production at Sadler's Wells which brought it to the same standing as the Theatre Royal. The new theatre opened on 8th April 1765 and the structure remained virtually the same until 1883. This is the structure depicted in the present work. Under Rosoman's management, Sadler's Wells attracted significant theatrical talent, including Giuseppe Grimaldi, a Drury Lane dancer, as his Ballet Master and chief dancer. In 1764 Sadler's Wells produced The Tempest which is presumed to have been David Garrick's version of the Dryden-Shakespeare-Purcell work. In 1771 Rosoman sold his interest in Sadler's Wells to Thomas King Garrick's friend and rival at Drury Lane. During the later 18th the theatre diversified what was on show to include patriotic plays, pageants, and opera. Sadler's Wells now exists as London's premier location for the performance of da Read more »