A Design for Illuminations to Celebrate the Birthday of King George III

1763

Robert Adam(?), after Giovanni Battista Cipriani

Associated Names
Robert Adam

Artist, British, 1728 - 1792

Giovanni Battista Cipriani

Artist After, Italian, 1727 - 1785

The image features a nighttime scene from an elevated viewpoint. It shows an ornate architectural setting resembling a garden or courtyard surrounded by colonnades. The background includes dense, dark trees, a light sky with a pale moon and clouds. The brushstrokes are precise and detailed, emphasizing architectural elements and human figures. The color palette consists of muted earth tones blending into the surroundings. In the foreground, elegantly dressed figures are interacting, while the architectural features create a symmetrical pattern extending into the distance.

Media Options

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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Acquired 1936 by J. Leslie Wright [1862-1954]; by descent to Mrs. Cecil Keith; (sale, Sotheby's, London, 27 April 1988, no. 416); John Davidson. Anonymous gift 1991 to NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1991

  • Art for the Nation: Gifts in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1991: p.102.

Inscriptions

by later hand, lower center verso in graphite: Rejoicing for the King's Birthday, 1762 / Drawing by Clariceau

Wikidata ID

Q64628791

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