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'Rough Sketches 1860-61'

Lady Charlotte Canning

1860

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Architectural Allahabad

Dominant colour

'Rough Sketches 1860-61' is a 1860 watercolor by Lady Charlotte Canning, a Impressionism work, depicting Allahabad, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Lady Charlotte Canning
When & what style?: 1860 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a riverbank with a row of old buildings. The structures have domes, spires, and columns, looking like temples or forts. Trees and steps lead down to the water, where small boats float. The whole scene is drawn in soft browns and grays, with light watercolor strokes. The artist used quick, loose lines to capture the shapes rather than details. This style fits the early days of Impressionism, where artists focused on light and mood over precision. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

The artwork consists of watercolour, pencil, pen and ink, and wash drawings created by Lady Charlotte Canning between 1860 and 1861. It is part of an album containing 75 topographical views of India, with pages made of cream wove paper bound in dark green cloth-covered boards with quarter leather and marbled endpapers. The watercolours are mounted within the album, and most pages include inscriptions with titles and dates.

Read the full account in the museum source.