This atmospheric study of the setting sun behind the old boathouse at the Mill appears to relate to Watering the Horses, 1908, a watercolour sold in these Rooms on 9 June 1988, lot 136. The pictures share a similar golden and purple hue and both demonstrate Munnings’s skill at capturing light reflecting on the autumnal trees. The old boathouse also features in the background of Path to the Orchard, 1908 (The Munnings Art Museum, Dedham). Given that the inscription on the reverse states that the picture was given to a Captain Forster in 1910 it seems logical that the painting was executed around 1908-1909.

We are grateful to Lorian Peralta-Ramos, the Curatorial staff at The Munnings Museum and Tristram Lewis for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.