The Ford (probably late 1850s), by Thomas Creswick, RA (1811–69). 521 x 698 mm. Oil on canvas. Tate Gallery, London, UK.

This atmospheric painting is another experiment with Picturesque conventions, combining carefully balanced masses of trees with the opened space of the river; mountains act as a background, suggesting a majestic scale that stands in poetic equipoise with the serene rurality of the foreground. The location here is unknown, but is probably a scene from North Wales.

Image reproduced under the terms of Creative Commons. Text by Simon Cooke. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]


Created 21 March 2021