Study for Landscape, Destruction of Niobe's Children
1764
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
About the artist
1764
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Study for Landscape, Destruction of Niobe's Children is a 1764 paint by Richard Wilson, a Rococo painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a wild, stormy landscape with jagged rocks and crashing waterfalls. Dark clouds fill the sky, while in the distance, a small building sits near a calm body of water. The brushstrokes are loose and rough, especially on the rocks and water, making the scene feel raw and untamed. The artist focused on nature’s power—water smashing against rocks, trees bending under wind, and a sky full of drama. The rough texture suggests they worked quickly, maybe even outdoors. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this painting in person.
This study by Richard Wilson is rendered in thick body colour on laid paper mounted to card, with no oil medium detected during microscopic examination; small bubbles in the paint suggest a water-based medium. The work served as a preparatory study for Wilson’s painting *Destruction of the Children of Niobe*, reflecting his adaptation of Italian and Dutch landscape traditions. Wilson, a founder of the Royal Academy, transitioned from portraiture to landscapes in the 1750s, gaining patronage from Grand Tour travelers. The piece was later donated by Henry J. Pfungst in 1915 to the Victoria and…
Read the full account in the museum source.
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