Grand Designs

My neighbour here in Normandy is a man of many talents, a man of grand designs. Both he and his wife are creators of beautiful jewellery but Mr Lemur can also transform abandoned offcuts of wood into stylish garden furniture.

Pictured above is a lovely oak bench for two made by Mr Lemur a few weeks ago, which can be wheeled around to take advantage of the sunniest spots in the garden . It is currently gracing the lawn in front of the gites at La Foucaudiere and has proved irresistable to guests wanting to while away an hour or so with a good book. The mobile nature of this elegant piece of garden furniture is most advantageous, as the cider apples are starting to drop with wild abandon and a hasty change of location is sometimes called for in order to avoid an apple related injury.

Mr and Mrs Lemur's propietorial air in the photograph is no happenstance. Their pose was inspired by a portrait by an 18th Century English artist whose painting of a similarly stylish Mr and Mrs now graces the walls of The National Gallery in London. Can you name both the painting and the artist?