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Conway in North Wales

John Varley

1803

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Conway in North Wales is a 1803 graphite by John Varley, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: John Varley
When & what style?: 1803 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This watercolor shows a quiet street in a small town. Half-timbered houses line both sides, their dark beams crisscrossing pale walls. A horse pulls a cart loaded with cloth under a makeshift awning, while a woman walks ahead with a basket. The ground is uneven, with puddles reflecting the muted light. The artist used soft washes of color to blur edges, giving the scene a dreamy feel. This was a common trick in watercolors to mimic light and distance. Look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists build depth with layers of paint.