Wolken 1875

George Clausen made this sketch called 'Wolken' which translates as Clouds, in pencil. There is something quite modern about this sketch, which shows a very light, sketchy arrangement of clouds in the sky and what might be the corner of a building to the right. Clausen was born in London but of German and Dutch ancestry, and he would later become a very influential teacher at the Royal Academy. He was an important member of the New English Art Club, a group which promoted impressionism and paintings of working-class life, reflecting the growing social consciousness of the time. Clausen was interested in the way natural light could be used to capture particular moments in time. The history of art institutions such as the Royal Academy, and the dynamics of groups such as the New English Art Club, can tell us a lot about what was considered artistically important in Britain at the end of the 19th century. Historians use archives, letters, and exhibition reviews to explore these dynamics.