Artwork
A View near Lowther
A View near Lowther is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Peter De Wint. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
De Wint employs quick, sketchy lines and tonal variations to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather rather than precise topographical detail.
A View near Lowther (1816) is a landscape drawing by the English artist Peter De Wint, executed in brush and black ink with black and white chalks over graphite on two joined sheets of gray wove paper. The composition depicts a tranquil, misty scene characteristic of the Lake District, featuring a winding river that bisects the middle ground. Vegetation, including trees and bushes, lines the riverbanks, rendered with soft, slightly blurred forms that suggest atmospheric moisture.
The sky is treated with a pale wash that fades into the gray paper, while the foreground ground appears damp and uneven. De Wint employs quick, sketchy lines and tonal variations to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather rather than precise topographical detail. Created during a period when De Wint was establishing his reputation as a master of the English landscape tradition, this work exemplifies his preference for direct observation and his ability to convey mood through loose handling of materials.
The piece reflects the artist's shift toward more atmospheric, impressionistic treatments of nature that would influence later generations of British landscape painters.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a tranquil, mist‑shrouded scene where a sinuous river bisects the view, flanked by softly rendered trees and scrub. A pale sky merges with the paper’s surface, while the foreground suggests damp, uneven ground, conveying a fleeting impression of a quiet riverside.
Technique & Style
De Wint employed rapid, sketch‑like strokes, allowing the ink and chalk to suggest form rather than define it. The use of cross‑hatching and subtle shading creates atmospheric depth, while the jointed paper edge introduces a slight irregularity that reinforces the work’s immediacy.
History & Provenance
Created during De Wint’s early career, the drawing reflects his practice of on‑site studies. Its provenance traces back to private collections before entering the museum’s holdings, where it remains an example of his landscape sketching methodology.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter De Wint was a prolific English painter, mostly in landscape painting in oils and watercolour. A number of his pictures are in Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum and The Collection, Lincoln. He died in London.
