On the Meuse, Belgium

Location

Country: Belgium
City: Brussels
Place: British Embassy, UK representation to the EU & UK delegation to NATO

This watercolour shows the ruins of a medieval castle standing beautifully on a rocky outcrop overlooking Meuse valley. In this work, George Wolfe focuses on the everyday activities taking place in the small village situated in the sheltered valley. In the immediate foreground a horse-drawn cart arrives at a moored boat, ready to receive its load. Fishermen can be seen unloading their catch from their boats to the right. The white houses of the village can be seen at the far end of the valley, from where a small group of figures and a horse-drawn cart emerge along the path.

A landscape, coastal and marine painter, George Wolfe (1834-1883) was mostly known for his landscape paintings and watercolours. He was born in Bristol and shared a studio in Clifton with landscape and marine painter Samuel Jackson. Most of Wolfe’s subjects include views taken in Britain including Devon Cornwall, South Wales and Yorkshire as well as landscapes from Germany and Belgium. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy, the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. In 1859 he published Wolfe’s Book of Barges. His work can also be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Maritime Museum, London; and Bristol City Art Gallery.

Places

River Meuse, Belgium

Subjects

topography, townscape/cityscape, river bank, river, hill, house, castle, ferry, sailboat

Materials & Techniques

paper (as artists material), watercolour (as artists materials), watercolour (as object name)

Artist

George Wolfe ( - 1890)

Title

On the Meuse, Belgium

Date

1862

Medium

Watercolour on paper

Dimensions

height: 44.00 cm, width: 74.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Appleby Bros, March 1974

Inscription

sdbl

GAC number

11054