A bearded violinist seated half-length to right, with his hat hooked on a chairback beside him. Signed and dated: J Gilbert/1853 Frame verso: inscribed: Gilbert/Montpelier Row/ Blackheath/ J. Gilbert

Sir John Gilbert trained as an estate agent before becoming a book illustrator, specialising in military subjects. He received no formal training, but was the principal illlustrator for the Illustrated London News (ILN) from its inception in 1842, when he made many drawings of the first costume ball at Buckingham Palace. Over the next 30 years Gilbert made over 30,000 drawings for the ILN. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert owned seven watercolours by the artist. The present work was bought by Prince Albert at the Old Water Colour Society in 1853 (no. 296, The Violin), and it hung at Osborne House. The drawing was lent to the Manchester Art Treasures exhibition in 1857 (no. 475), and was also lent to exhibitions in Vienna in 1875 and Liverpool in 1877. The subject of a musician in simple clothing, and the dark palette of colours used by the artist, are reminiscent of seventeenth century Dutch precedents.