The Curfew 1820

johnvarley

excavation photography

natural shape and form

countryside

impressionist landscape

nature

outdoor scenery

landscape photography

nature heavy

water

watercolor

shadow overcast

"The Curfew" (1820) by John Varley (1778-1842) is a watercolor painting capturing the serene beauty of a coastal landscape. The expansive vista features a tranquil body of water, possibly a river or a bay, stretching towards the horizon, where the sky meets the water in a soft, ethereal blend of blues and grays. The composition is dominated by a sense of calmness and tranquility, with a single, solitary figure perched on a hill overlooking the scene. Varley's subtle use of light and shadow creates a sense of depth and atmosphere, enhancing the contemplative mood of the painting. This watercolor exemplifies Varley's mastery of watercolors, using soft, delicate strokes to depict a serene and picturesque landscape.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

⋮

The subject of this watercolour is derived from the poem The Curfew. In the poem, a lonely man hears the curfew ringing across the water. Varley worked primarily in watercolour. He strove to make his watercolours as large, and as aspiring in content, as paintings in oil. The particular beauty of watercolours, according to him, lay in the panoramic rendering of the ‘clear skies, distances and water’.