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The image shows an elevated point of view overlooking a vast landscape. The horizon is high, with distant hills or mountains barely visible. The brushstrokes are gentle and fluid, giving the painting a soft quality. The color palette is muted, with soft whites, beige, green, and pink. The foreground shows subtle variations in color suggesting grassy and earthy textures. A cluster of trees is on the left, adding depth. In the distance, the landscape extends under a cloudy sky, blending with the background's muted tones.
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The image shows an elevated point of view overlooking a vast landscape. The horizon is high, with distant hills or mountains barely visible. The brushstrokes are gentle and fluid, giving the painting a soft quality. The color palette is muted, with soft whites, beige, green, and pink. The foreground shows subtle variations in color suggesting grassy and earthy textures. A cluster of trees is on the left, adding depth. In the distance, the landscape extends under a cloudy sky, blending with the background's muted tones.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

An Extensive View in Shropshire

Cornelius Varley

Date
1803
Medium
watercolor over graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 25.2 x 32.2 cm (9 15/16 x 12 11/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2000.74.2
Credit line
Gift of Diane Allen Nixon
Time span
1801 to 1825
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • British
  • Landscape
  • United Kingdom
  • landscape
  • North Wales
Provenance

The artist's family; by descent to Mrs. Fleetwood Walker, England; by descent to Mr. and Mrs. G. L. V. Walker, England; (P & D Colnaghi, London); (Spink-Leger, London).

Inscription

verso, in watercolor: blue color trials

NGA object ID 111773. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.