Watercolour on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/david-cox-117" aria-label="More by David Cox" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">David Cox</a>
Buildings on Banks Thames
Bequeathed by J.R. Holliday 1927
adults
architecture
boat, sailing
England
features
figure
people
places
river
River Thames
society
stair / step
townscapes / man-made features
transport: water
UK countries and regions
UK natural features
water: inland
waterfront
<p>David Cox was an influential drawing teacher and a theorist of landscape, as well as a practising artist. Like his contemporary, John Varley, he made numerous informal sketches of life along the banks of the Thames. These would usually feature old, run-down buildings, as in this very evocative watercolour. The charming and tranquil associations of such scenes meant that they fitted the ideals of the Picturesque much more easily than more explicitly modern subjects.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
paper unique watercolour
Buildings on the Banks of the Thames
support: 143 × 305 mm
Bequeathed by J.R. Holliday 1927
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<span class="text0">David Cox was an influential <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawing</span></a> teacher and a      theorist of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/l/landscape" title="Glossary definition for 'Landscape'"><span>landscape</span></a>,  as well as a practising artist. Like his      contemporary, John Varley, he made numerous informal sketches of life along      the banks of the Thames. These would usually feature old, run-down      buildings, as in this very evocative <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/w/watercolour" title="Glossary definition for 'Watercolour'"><span>watercolour</span></a>.  The charming and      tranquil associations  of such scenes meant that they fitted  the ideals of      the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/picturesque" title="Glossary definition for 'Picturesque'"><span>Picturesque</span></a> much  more easily than more explicitly  modern subjects. </span>
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2004-09-09T00:00:00
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adults architecture boat, sailing England features figure people places river River Thames society stair / step townscapes / man-made features transport: water UK countries and regions UK natural features waterfront water: inland