Thomas Manby (c.1633-1695 London)

Little is known about Manby and only eleven works by his hand, all ink drawings, are known to have survived. The present lot would appear to be one of his few works in oil. Born in the first half of the 17th century, Manby was indeed one of the earliest English landscape artists. He travelled to Italy and all his surviving works are Italian views. The bridge depicted in the present lot might be the Ponte Lucano. (see T. Barber, Thomas Manby. The Ruins of the Colosseum c.1660-90, Tate online)