Sunset. A Castle by the river.

1815

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Sunset. A Castle by the river. is a 1815 by William Collingwood Smith, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William Collingwood Smith
When & what style?: 1815 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a quiet river winding through a rocky landscape at dusk. A lone figure stands near the water’s edge, small against the wild brush and trees. In the distance, a castle’s towers loom over the scene, bathed in golden sunset light. The artist used soft, smudged lines to blur edges—like mist over the hills—making the scene feel dreamy. The warm glow on the castle contrasts with the cool blues of the river and sky. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour drawing depicts a castle beside a river at sunset.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

William Collingwood Smith

William Collingwood Smith carried a sketchbook like others carry phones, filling it with quick pencil lines of canals, bridges, and church steeples wherever he walked.

See the richer artist page