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General view of Dover

Badmin

1936

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern Cityscape

Dominant colour

General view of Dover is a 1936 watercolor by Badmin, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Badmin
When & what style?: 1936
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a coastal town with a mix of buildings and cliffs. The watercolor is light and loose, with faint lines marking houses, trees, and a harbor. The colors are mostly pale—whites, soft grays, and a hint of blue for the water. The artist used quick, sketchy strokes, almost like a quick note of what they saw. It feels unfinished, as if they were capturing the scene fast. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolour by Badmin, dated 1936, depicts a view of Dover’s coastline and sea from an elevated inland position, signed and inscribed. It is part of the *Recording Britain* collection, a wartime initiative led by Sir Kenneth Clark to document Britain’s landscapes and national identity through topographical art. The project aimed to preserve scenes threatened by war damage, urban expansion, and changing rural practices, employing artists to create over 1,500 works between 1940 and 1943.

Read the full account in the museum source.