drawing
- Museum number
- 1862,0614.540
- Description
-
Dover Castle; distant view of castle on edge of sea cliff. 1816
Watercolour, over graphite
- Production date
- 1816
- Dimensions
-
Height: 187 millimetres
-
Width: 385 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Catalogue entry from J.Kierkuc-Bielinski, 'George Scharf', exh. Soane Museum, 2009 (no. 4):
This sketch is of particular poignancy as it is the first drawing Scharf produced on English soil. It shows the approach to Dover Castle, situated above the prominent white cliffs, clearly showing Henry II’s (1133-1189) inner and outer baileys dominated by the great keep in the centre. Scharf has commemorated this important moment in his life – his arrival in England – in the inscription, which reads: ‘Dover Cliffs painted on the spot on my arrival in England 5 of January 1816’. This drawing is eloquent testimony of Scharf’s passion for sketching. As soon as he sets foot on English soil he begins to sketch what would become his adopted country. Throughout his life he would record the anniversary of his arrival in this country in his journal entries.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2009 Mar-Jun, London, Sir John Soane Museum, George Scharf
- Acquisition date
- 1862
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1862,0614.540