Artist: Attributed to John Varley
Title: View of the Rhine
Medium: Watercolour
Edition: Original, One of a kind
Artwork Dimensions: 26cm x 19cm (10" x 7.5")
Frame Dimensions: 44cm x 38cm (17.5" x 15")
Condition: Image: Showing signs of age. Some dark spots. Good colour. Frame: Some chips and marks otherwise a nice frame. See photos
Gallery Price: Previously sold in 1976 for £50! Invoice included (see photo)
About the artwork
This evocative Rhine Valley watercolour captures a harmonious blend of history, atmosphere, and gentle narrative. The ruined hilltop castle commands the left bank, its weathered stones rising above a tranquil sweep of river that guides the eye towards a clustered town with its prominent church spire. Soft, transparent washes create a luminous sense of distance, while the boats drifting along the water introduce a quiet human presence that animates the scene without disturbing its serenity. The composition balances grandeur and intimacy, suggesting an artist attuned to both the romantic drama of the Rhine and the subtler rhythms of daily life along its banks. It’s a landscape that feels observed, interpreted, and emotionally shaped, making it a compelling candidate for Varley’s poetic sensibility.
About the Artist
John Varley (1778–1842) was one of the founding figures of the English watercolour tradition, celebrated for his lyrical handling of landscape and his ability to fuse topographical observation with a quietly poetic sensibility. A leading member of the Old Water-Colour Society, he championed transparent washes, atmospheric depth, and balanced, carefully structured compositions that shaped the direction of early nineteenth‑century British watercolour painting. Varley travelled widely and drew inspiration from both real and imagined scenery, often blending architectural interest with natural drama to create works that feel at once grounded and idealised. His influence extended beyond his own practice: as a respected teacher, he guided artists such as David Cox and John Linnell, helping to define the visual language of the Romantic landscape.
