Boating Before Lambeth Palace, London 

David Cox created this watercolor painting, ‘Boating Before Lambeth Palace, London’. Observe the horizontal composition where water dominates the foreground, reflecting the architectural details of Lambeth Palace. Notice how Cox balances the use of light and shadow to evoke a sense of tranquility and movement in the water and sky. The brushstrokes are loose, which captures a fleeting moment of light and atmosphere. Cox employs a semiotic system, using the boat as a signifier for leisure and social interaction. The reflections in the water destabilize the solid forms, creating a dialogue between the real and the ephemeral. This interplay engages with philosophical concerns around perception, exploring how we construct meaning through sensory experience. The painting invites a continuous interpretation, where our perception of light, form, and meaning are always in flux.