Church at Huy on the Meuse, Belgium

Location

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

The remains of the medieval church tower at Huy in Belgium are depicted here in a graphic and detailed gouache by James Duffield Harding. It has proved a popular subject among British artists, including William Mallord Turner. Situated on the river Meuse since the Roman times, this 19th century view by Harding presents the busy village life: merchants selling home-grown products, horse-drawn carts passing through the city, all under the supervision of soldiers defending the citadel. The most distinguishable feature of the composition is the gothic rose window of the cathedral, also known as Li Rondia. With its polychrome wood carving, it is the largest architectural feature of this type in Belgium. Known as the Collégiale Notre-Dame de Huy, the cathedral was built between 1311 and 1536.

James Duffield Harding was born in Deptford, Kent; the son of an engraver and drawing-master. He was taught by his father, before studying under S. Prout and C. Pye. In 1818 he began exhibiting at the Society of Painters in Water Colours and he later became a member. He was one of the first to practice lithography. Harding travelled to Italy in 1824 and also toured France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. He was a passionate drawing-master and wrote instructional books. His Italian views on different papers (exhibited 1830) led to the range of ‘Harding papers’, manufactured by Whatman. In 1841 he published ‘The Park and the Forest’, a series of lithotints. He lived in St John’s Wood (1848-60), before moving to Barnes, where he died aged 66.

Places

Belgium, Huy: Church of Notre Dame, Huy

Subjects

cart, sculpture (as Subject), topography, genre, townscape/cityscape, horse, man, woman, military uniform, vendor, basket, child, soldier, house, church, church windows, archway, chair

Materials & Techniques

paper (as artists material), pencil, gouache (as object name), white (Colour)

Artist

James Duffield Harding (1797 - 1863)

Title

Church at Huy on the Meuse, Belgium

Date

Medium

Pencil and white gouache on paper

Dimensions

height: 38.50 cm, width: 27.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Appleby Bros, February 1973

Inscription

ins verso

GAC number

10008