A Wooded River Landscape with a Shepherd and Sheep in the foreground and
Figures by a Farmstead beyond

Oil on canvas

48.2 x 49.7 cms
19 x 195/8 inches

Nicholas Thomas Dall was of Scandinavian origin and did his artistic training in Italy. It would appear that he made particular study of the Bolognese quadratura tradition as one of his first major commissions in England was to paint the scenographic ruin scenes at Thomas Anson’s Shugborough Hall circa 1748.

He established a reputation as a scene painter and also topographical landscapes, often depicting ruins in the classical tradition or those showing country seats. He was living in London by 1756 and was in constant employment as scene painter at Covent Garden from 1757 until his death on 10th December 1776.

His commissioned work for the large country houses was particularly centered in Yorkshire but he also produced views in Kent, Surrey, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. The new landowning classes together with the more established landed gentry, were equally keen to have their houses portrayed in bucolic settings. There is a fine series of topographical views of Yorkshire in Harewood done around 1773.

Some of his work borrows stylistically from other painters, in particular Richard Wilson, and these were excellent pastiches.

He showed at the Society of Artists from 1761 to 1770 and the Royal Academy between 1771 and 1776. Exhibited titles include: “ A large Landskip and Figures”, “A View of Fountain Abbey in Yorkshire belonging to the Honourable William Aislabie, Esq”, “A View taken in the Grounds of T.Vaughan Esq, at the Grove in Surrey, with Boshill,etc, at a distance” and “A Mill at Kilnsey, Craven Kilnsey, Yorkshire”.

Dall was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Academy in 1771.