Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
Kenilworth Castle
Before 1859
By David Cox (1783 to 1859)
VA.1961.4
David Cox is widely regarded as one of the greatest British watercolourists and a forerunner of Impressionism. He was born in Birmingham and moved to London in 1804 to work as a theatre scene painter. Soon after, he began to study art under John Varley.
By the middle of the 1700s watercolour painting had become a significant and highly regarded art form in England, practised by several leading artists. A distinct tradition emerged of watercolour views of towns and the countryside, which became popular with both artists and patrons. Painting in watercolours remains extremely popular and is practised by some leading contemporary artists
The Herbert has around 1500 watercolours in its collection, many of which show views of local areas. They demonstrate the history of watercolour painting and show what Coventry and Warwickshire looked like in the past.
The ruins of medieval castles and abbeys became popular subjects for watercolour artists in the late 1700s, and these paintings were often reproduced as prints. The 1800s saw a growing interest in history, encouraged by bestselling historical writers such as Sir Walter Scott. His novel Kenilworth was published in 1821 and the combination of an attractive ruin with a fascinating story inspired many artists to paint Kenilworth Castle.
Kenilworth Castle
Before 1859
By David Cox (1783 to 1859)
VA.1961.4
David Cox is widely regarded as one of the greatest British watercolourists and a forerunner of Impressionism. He was born in Birmingham and moved to London in 1804 to work as a theatre scene painter. Soon after, he began to study art under John Varley.
By the middle of the 1700s watercolour painting had become a significant and highly regarded art form in England, practised by several leading artists. A distinct tradition emerged of watercolour views of towns and the countryside, which became popular with both artists and patrons. Painting in watercolours remains extremely popular and is practised by some leading contemporary artists
The Herbert has around 1500 watercolours in its collection, many of which show views of local areas. They demonstrate the history of watercolour painting and show what Coventry and Warwickshire looked like in the past.
The ruins of medieval castles and abbeys became popular subjects for watercolour artists in the late 1700s, and these paintings were often reproduced as prints. The 1800s saw a growing interest in history, encouraged by bestselling historical writers such as Sir Walter Scott. His novel Kenilworth was published in 1821 and the combination of an attractive ruin with a fascinating story inspired many artists to paint Kenilworth Castle.