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Edward the Confessor's Chapel, Westminster Abbey

William Richardson

1859

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Edward the Confessor's Chapel, Westminster Abbey is a 1859 watercolor by William Richardson, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William Richardson
When & what style?: 1859 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a quiet corner inside an old church. Stone carvings line the walls, including statues of robed figures and detailed arches. In the foreground, three people sit on a bench—two women in long dresses and a man in a hat, looking at something in their hands. The floor is made of worn stone tiles, and the light comes through tall, narrow windows with blue-tinted glass. The artist focused on small details, like the texture of the stone and the folds in the people’s clothes. This was painted in 1859, when artists were starting to capture real-life scenes with careful observation. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

The watercolour titled *Edward the Confessor's Chapel in Westminster Abbey* was painted by William Richardson in 1859 and is signed and dated.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

William Richardson

William Richardson spent his life with a paintbox and a pocket rule, measuring shadows in Westminster Abbey because the stonework’s angles fascinated him.

See the richer artist page