Artwork
Harwich: the seashore and lighthouse
Harwich: the seashore and lighthouse is a drawing by the Romanticist artist John Constable. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
John Constable created a drawing of Harwich's seashore, capturing the atmosphere of a misty and windswept scene. The work is a sketch for a later oil painting and features the local lighthouse and turbulent sea.
Technique & Style
The drawing is executed in loose, quick strokes, with cross-hatching used to convey the effects of mist and wind. This technique gives the scene a sense of movement and energy.
History & Provenance
The drawing is linked to Constable's oil painting 'Harwich: Sea and Lighthouse', likely exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1820. The exact date of the drawing is uncertain due to the illegibility of the inscription, previously thought to be '1815'.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Constable was an English landscape painter in the Romantic tradition. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for revolutionising the genre of landscape painting with his pictures of Dedham Vale, the area on the…
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