Possibly Caspar David Friedrich (a gift from Carus, according to the British private collector who sold the work in 2009);
Private collection, Hamburg;
Anonymous sale, Cologne, Lempertz, 20 May 2006, lot 1357A;
Where acquired by a British private collector;
By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 3 June 2009, lot 8;
Where acquired by the present collector.

This painting is in beautiful condition. It is unlined and on what appears to be the original stretcher. The surface is clean, although perhaps a light freshening of the varnish would help. There is a slight indication on the surface of the outline of the stretcher, which is not uncommon in unlined pictures of this date. The original tacking edges around the side of the canvas is largely intact, preserving in parts the original graphite marks to show where the canvas was cropped by the artist to fit the stretcher. Under UV there are some select restorations, mostly minor, a few scattered in the sky in the upper left and upper right. In the lower right section there are some scattered small retouches in the darker tones, probably to address cosmetic issues rather than damages. The rest of the painting looks quite good.
"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 authenticity of this work was confirmed by Marianne Prause who dates it to the early 1840s.¹  It is likely that it was painted near Dresden, depicting either the Zittauer mountain range or the Dresden Elbsandstein Gebirge.

1.  See the 2006 and 2009 sales under Provenance.