Entrance to the Bosphorus from the Black Sea

Michael Anthony Shrapnel Biddulph

1856

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century Marine

About this work

This watercolor shows a quiet coastal scene with a rocky shore in the foreground. The water is calm, and a few small boats sit near jagged rocks. In the distance, a town clings to a hillside, with buildings stacked up the slope. The artist wrote the title and date right on the paper: *"Entrance to the Bosphorus from the Black Sea, 14 April 1856."* The loose, sketchy brushstrokes make the scene feel quick and natural, like a snapshot. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.