Oriental Capriccio, with water, boats and buildings
1828
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1828
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Oriental Capriccio, with water, boats and buildings is a 1828 watercolor by William SBA West, a orientalism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a rocky cliffside with a narrow path winding upward. Below, a small boat floats on dark water, carrying two figures. The path is lined with tiny people, and at the top, a building with spires stands out against the sky. Shadows and light play across the uneven rocks and water. The artist used soft browns and whites to show light hitting the cliffs. The boats and figures are small, making the landscape feel huge and dramatic. Look up Romanticism next to see how artists used nature this way.
