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Italianate River Landscape

Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts | CC0 1.0

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Date

1750-1760

Artist

William Taverner (1703-1772)

Collection

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Image Link

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/764179

Description

As early as 1733 John Vertue asserted that Taverner had a "wonderfull genius to drawing of Landskap, in an excellent manner," and the artist is remembered for demonstrating to British artists how Italian and Dutch modes, previously associated with oil painting, could be translated into watercolor. "Italianate River Landscape" beautifully encapsulates Taverner’s experimental approach. Layers of tone define form, bodycolor strengthens the foliage, and iron gall ink is applied to the shadows. The river resembles a stretch of the Thames near Windsor, while the planar buildings and sinuous composition echo landscapes by the Italian master Paolo Anesi (1697-1773). Taverner earned his living as Procurator-General of the Court of Arches of Canterbury, an ecclesiastical London-based court. This freed him from the drudgery of painting country house views, and enabled him to develop an accomplished body of work admired by Paul Sandy and Thomas Gainsborough. Medium: watercolor, bodycolor and iron gall ink over graphite on three joined sheets.

Image Licence

CC0 1.0

Image Credit

Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts

Location

River Thames, Windsor, Berkshire, England

Country

Tags

Lakes
Townscapes
Trees

Category

Buildings & Architecture

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© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform