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Nineveh from the North-East

Frederick Charles Cooper

1849

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Romanticism Early 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Nineveh from the North-East is a 1849 watercolor by Frederick Charles Cooper, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Frederick Charles Cooper
When & what style?: 1849 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

The painting depicts a landscape with a city in the distance, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and mountains. The sky is cloudy, with a mix of gray and white hues. In the foreground, a group of people are gathered near a structure, possibly a building or a monument. The artist has used a range of colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere in the painting. The use of blues and greens in the distance creates a sense of coolness, while the warm tones in the foreground add a sense of warmth and intimacy. This painting is reminiscent of the works of artists associated with the Romanticism movement.

The story of this work

Overview

Frederick Charles Cooper’s watercolour drawing depicts Nineveh from the north-east, likely created during his participation in Austen Henry Layard’s 1849–51 excavation of the ancient Assyrian city. The work reflects Cooper’s on-site sketches, aligning with Layard’s published records, such as the 1853 lithograph *View of the Mounds of Kouyunjik and Nebbi Yunus and of the Remains of the Exterior Walls from the North*. The drawing was later associated with Layard’s expeditions and exhibited in 1860 as *The plains of Nineveh from the Tanner's Ferry near Mosul*.

Read the full account in the museum source.