The Thames near Richmond
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Image: Courtauld
Image: Courtauld
Maker
(artist)
1779-1853
1779-1853
Title
The Thames near Richmond
Date of Production
c. 1811
Medium
Graphite, watercolour and opaque watercolour on wove paper (page from a sketchbook)
Dimensions
Height: 12.7 cm
Width: 20.5 cm
Width: 20.5 cm
Object Number
D.2026.MB.17
Mode of Acquisition
Michael Broughton, gift, 2026
Credit
Courtauld Gallery, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust). Michael Broughton bequest, 2026
Location
Not currently on display
Label Text
Apparently working from a boat mid-stream, Mary Smirke used minute brushstrokes to create the shimmering reflections on a quiet stretch of the Thames west of London. Despite its small size, the exquisite precision of this watercolour earned it a place on the walls of the Great Room – the largest and most prestigious space – in the Royal Academy’s 1812 exhibition at Somerset House, where the Courtauld Gallery is now located.
Smirke was an ambitious artist who drew prolifically. She exhibited at the Royal Academy every year between 1809–1814, although she was sometimes hindered by her artist father, who was on the hanging committee. One year, dissatisfied with the placement of her work, he had it removed from the show altogether.
Smirke was an ambitious artist who drew prolifically. She exhibited at the Royal Academy every year between 1809–1814, although she was sometimes hindered by her artist father, who was on the hanging committee. One year, dissatisfied with the placement of her work, he had it removed from the show altogether.
Provenance
The Manning Galleries, London; Judy Egerton (1928-2012); Abbott & Holder, London; private collection, Suffolk; Abbott & Holder, London, 2023, where acquired by Michael Broughton (1944-2026), Watford; Michael Broughton bequest, 2026
Exhibition History
A View of One's Own, Landscapes by British Women Artists, 1760-1860, Courtauld Gallery, London, 28/01/2026-20/05/2026
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