View of London with St. Paul’s in the distance: a family pausing on a road

1787
Not on view
One of a pair, this watercolor portrays a well-to-do family enjoying fine weather on a hill-top at Kilburn, northwest of London. Beyond the figures, cows graze before a prospect punctuated by the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, with the river in the middle distance a tributary of the Thames that runs from Hampstead down towards Hyde Park. In this fine early example of Ibbeston's work, assured handling of line combines with delicate watercolors in a way that demonstrates admiration for Paul Sandby. A keen observer of contemporary life, the artist conveys English upper class contentment just before the outbreak of the French Revolution.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: View of London with St. Paul’s in the distance: a family pausing on a road
  • Artist: Julius Caesar Ibbetson (British, Farnley Moor 1759–1816 Masham)
  • Date: 1787
  • Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 7 15/16 in. × 12 in. (20.2 × 30.5 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Harry G. Sperling Fund, 2016
  • Object Number: 2016.592
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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