inscribed on an old label, verso: Sir William Mordaunt Sturt Milner Baronet / Painted by Old M^{r. Fernily} [sic] from a picture by the / same artist at Osberton & given to Lady Milner / by George Savile Foljambe Esq^re 1841 

Commissioned by the sitter's son-in-law George Saville Foljambe Esq. of Osberton Hall, by whom given to, Harriet, Lady Milner (d.1862), the sitter's second wife;
by descent to the sitter's daughter Catherine, by his first wife Selina, daughter of the Rt. Hon. Theophilus Clements, who married the Rev. David Markham;
thence by descent to the present owner

Dublin, Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Exhibition of Paintings from Irish Collections, 20th May to 25th August, 1957 (lent by Colonel Clements, Killadoon, Celbridge, Co. Kildare)

STRUCTURE The canvas is unlined. There is one small patch, verso, lower right. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in very good condition with no apparent damage or loss of paint. Under very close inspection there is some slightly discoloured retouching to a small old tear in the lower left, which relates to the patch, verso, mentioned above. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light confirms the retouching mentioned above, and reveals a small number of minor flecks of scattered retouching in the background upper left, and three very small flecks in the lower section of the canvas, along the ground. FRAME Held in a carved and gilded wooden frame. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@laitexier.com, or Ludo Shaw Stewart on +44 (0)207 293 5816, or at ludovic.shawstewart@laitexier.com.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present painting relates to one of Ferneley's most unique compositions, a shooting conversation piece with portraits of George Savile Foljambe and his father-in-law William Milner shooting in the silver furs at Osberton, with a team of Clumber spaniels and three keepers, formerly at Osberton Hall (sold Christie's, 18^th May 2007, lot 85, as Silver Furs at Osberton). Listed as no. 314 in the artist's account book the painting was commissioned by George Savile Foljambe in 1835 to hang above the mantle piece in the dining room at his family seat in Nottinghamshire, where it remained in situ until sold. Foljambe was a keen sportsman, and one of the artist's most important patrons. The picture still holds the record to this day for the hi🅠ghest price achieved at action for the artist.

The present work, painted by Ferneley in 1841, six years after the original, replicates the central figure from the Osberton picture, that of S✨ir William Mordaunt Sturt Milner, charging his gun, with two of the Clumber spaniels also found in the original painting, out duck shooting. The location is changed to an autumnal woodland setting and in extracting the central figure Ferneley skilfully distils a portrait from a sporting conversation piece, purposefully maintaining a frame of reference whilst simultaneously appropriating the meaning to suit his patron🧸's needs.

Commissioned by Foljambe and given to his mother-in-law, Lady Milner, one can assume that she had admired the portrait of her husband in the original and that Foljambe had it replicated as a gift. Unrecorded in the artisꦦt's account books, it is possible that the gift may have extended to the artist as well.