{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1070719"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1070719/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FH8476/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FH8476/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FH8476","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU1029","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NP9086","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1070719/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1070719","accessionNumber":"P.1-1945","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"St. Paul's Cathedral from the River Thames","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Watercolour depicting St. Paul's Cathedral as seen from the River Thames, London.  Signed by the artist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Clausen, George (Sir)","id":"A5399"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour","categories":[{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"},{"text":"National Art Training School","id":"THES271067"},{"text":"Tiles","id":"THES48884"},{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"},{"text":"Landscapes","id":"THES250800"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2012FH8476","2017JU1029","2023NP9086"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH (VA)","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"WD","shelf":"62","box":"A(1)"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour (painting)","id":"AAT78925"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1852-1944","earliest":"1852-01-01","latest":"1944-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Ernest Marsh","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"11.125","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"15.375","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"G Clausen","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signed"}],"objectHistory":"Historical Significance:\r\n\r\nBorn in London, George Clausen was the son of a Danish interior decorator and a woman of Scottish descent. At 14 he was apprenticed to the drawing office of the London firm of decorators, Messrs Trollope. During his apprenticeship he attended evening classes at the National Art Training School, South Kensington. With the encouragement of the painter Edwin Long, Clausen obtained a two-year scholarship to the South Kensington Schol of Art. He then extended his training by attending the Antwerp Academy. Clausen also began visiting Paris. His early work shows an interest in artists such as Whistler and Lhermitte. He was a founer member of the New English Art Club. In 1891 Clausen moved to Widdington, Essex. The works produced after this move show an interest in atmostphere and movement. In 1894, by now a prominent figure at the Royal Academy, he was elected Professor of Painting. In 1917 he was appointed an official war artist, where he was assigned to document the Woolwich Arsenal. Following the war he painted several murals, including <i>Wycliffe’s English Bible</i> for the Houses of Parliament (1926). He was knighted on completion of this project.\r\n\r\nThis watercolour looks across the Thames to the north bank which is dominated by the dome of St. Paul’s. A pencil sketch dated to 1910-11 in the Royal Academy (inventory number 05/2658) shows a slightly different view towards St Paul’s and is possibly a preparatory sketch for this watercolour. Although the pencil sketch shows a slightly different view to that of the watercolour in the V&A, both show an interest in the horizontal line of the barges contrasting with the vertical line of the poles against the skyline of the buildings along the river. The short reflections on the calm water in the Royal Academy sketch seem to be created by the cold light of winter. This interest in light is evident in the V&A watercolour. Here the light dome of St Paul’s stands out against a cold grey sky. The under-drawing in pen and ink of the architectural detail of these buildings is visible beneath thin washes in grey and beige, which again suggest the cold light of mid winter. The cold light silhouettes the barges and poles in the foreground against the buildings behind. \r\n\r\nBetween 1910 and 1911 Clausen exhibited three watercolour views of St Paul’s at the Royal Society of Painters in Water-Colours:P <i>St. Paul’s – Winter ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Watercolour by George Clausen (1852-1944) depicting St. Paul's Cathedral as seen from the River Thames,  London.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1945</u>, London: HMSO, 1956."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"St. Paul's Cathedral","id":"x34856"},{"text":"River Thames","id":"x31213"},{"text":"London","id":"x28980"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cathedral","id":"AAT7501"},{"text":"domes","id":"AAT1280"},{"text":"rivers","id":"AAT8707"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["P.1-1945"],"accessionNumberNum":"1","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1945,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-15","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}