Watercolour drawing by the Grieve family, probably by Thomas Grieve, showing a view from the beach at Margate

1850

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Watercolour drawing by the Grieve family, probably by Thomas Grieve, showing a view from the beach at Margate is a 1850 by Thomas Grieve, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Thomas Grieve
When & what style?: 1850
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing shows a seaside view from Margate in the early 1800s. It’s a watercolour, likely made by Thomas Grieve of the famous Grieve family of scene painters. Nine people in the picture sit on the beach. One small boat floats near the shore. The Grieves worked in London theatres, but many of their watercolours show coastal towns like Margate. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more of their work.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour drawing attributed to Thomas Grieve depicts a coastal scene from Margate, showing a view from the beach toward the sea, featuring a dismasted ship positioned centrally and a lighthouse to the right. The work reflects the Grieve family's background in theatrical scene painting, though it appears to have been created from direct observation of the Kentish coast. The drawing is part of a larger collection of watercolours by various Grieve family members, which was donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum by John Walford Grieve, the grandson of Thomas Grieve.

Read the full account in the museum source.