Mitford (b.c.1750), Mary – A Dutch River Scene in Winter.

This is one of the six watercolours that came to light in 1989 and established Mary Mitford as a talented amateur painter. Nothing is known about her life or artistic training. But both of her brothers, Colonel William Mitford (1744-1827) and John Mitford, later 1st Baron Redesdale (1748-1830), were pupils of Gilpin at Cheam. So, she had at least the second-hand influence of Gilpin via them. The few watercolours known by her seem to be copies, either from works by her drawing master(s) or from other sources set for her by them. This confident watercolour must, for example, have been taken from an earlier Dutch print or drawing.