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Hotel de Ville, Brussels

John Edwin Oldfield

1825

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Romanticism Early 19th Century Architectural Bruges

Dominant colour

Hotel de Ville, Brussels is a 1825 watercolor by John Edwin Oldfield, a British Romanticism work, depicting Bruges, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: John Edwin Oldfield
When & what style?: 1825 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a grand, old-style building with tall towers and lots of windows. The sky is bright with fluffy clouds, and people in old-fashioned clothes are walking or sitting around a cobblestone square. Some are dressed in dark coats, others in lighter dresses, and a few animals are scattered around. The artist focused on the details of the architecture, like the sharp spires and arched doorways. This was painted as a record of a place that looked important back then. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this painting in person.

The story of this work

Overview

A small watercolour depicts the Hôtel de Ville in Brussels, signed by John Edwin Oldfield.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

John Edwin Oldfield

London-trained watercolourist who painted city views in the 19th century. Here you’ll find Hotel de Ville, Brussels, a crisp, sunlit sheet from about 1825–54 that shows the Flemish Gothic façade rising above a bustling…

See the richer artist page