The breakwater at Harwich, with ships on the beach thumbnail 1
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The breakwater at Harwich, with ships on the beach

Drawing
1815, September 1 (made)
Artist/Maker
Constable (artist)
Place of origin
Harwich (made)

Pencil drawing of the shore with ships and figures on the beach.


Object details

Categories
Maritime
Drawings
Object type
Drawing
TitleThe breakwater at Harwich, with ships on the beach (popular title)
Materials and techniques
pencil on paper
Pencil
Paper
Drawing (Image-Making)
Brief description
Drawing, The breakwater at Harwich, with ships on the beach, by John Constable, pencil on paer, 1815
Physical description
Pencil drawing of the shore with ships and figures on the beach.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11.5cm
  • Width: 18.1cm
Styles
British
19th
Marks and inscriptions
  • Harwich Sepr. 1st [there is a tear] 1815 (Inscribed at top right by the artist)
  • The Breakwater Harwich (Inscribed in pencil on the paper on which the drawing is mounted below on left.)
Credit line
Given by Isabel Constable, daughter of the Artist, 1888
Historical context
In 1815 Constable exhibited five paintings and three drawings at the Royal Academy, including 'Boat-building' (No. 137). His mother died early this year and he was in Suffolk in May. He left London again for Suffolk on 6 July and remained there most of the year, being detained during December by his father's serious illness.

[G Reynolds, 1973, p. 106]
Place depicted
Harwich
Bibliographic reference
Catalogue of the Constable Collection, Graham Reynolds, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1973, pp. 106, 109
Other number
144, plate 120 - Reynolds catalogue no.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
306-1888

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1041861/the-breakwater-at-harwich-with-drawing-constable/
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