Barges on a River 

Richard Parkes Bonington probably made this atmospheric oil sketch, called 'Barges on a River,' in France, sometime in the 1820s. As a British artist working on the continent, Bonington found himself at the intersection of different artistic and cultural traditions. The shimmering light and attention to the natural world in this painting connect him to the English landscape tradition of Constable and Turner. But his looser brushwork and interest in capturing fleeting moments also reflect the influence of French Romanticism. These were progressive artistic movements in the 19th century. They challenged the dominance of the established art academies, where the emphasis was on historical and allegorical subjects, rendered in minute detail. By studying Bonington's influences and the institutions that supported him, we can better understand his place in the art world of his time, and how his work both reflected and shaped the changing tastes of the public.