On the Thames

c. 1827–29

On the Thames, c. 1827–29. David Cox (British, 1783–1859). Watercolor with graphite and scraping; sheet: 19.8 x 27.1 cm (7 13/16 x 10 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the Painting and Drawing Society of The Cleveland Museum of Art 2005.201 One of the great champions of watercolor painting during the first half of the 19th century, David Cox is most celebrated for his atmospheric landscapes that convey a sense of movement and light as affected by nature. Here, translucent streaks of blue and gray in the sky suggest movement among the clouds, and small dashes of color throughout the foreground trees create a sense of rustling vegetation. Reflections on the river’s surface shimmer with light. David Cox began his career as a painter of theatrical scenery in his native Birmingham.