Salmon Spearing

Maker John Sell Cotman (British, 1782-1842)

ClassificationsDRAWINGS

Daten.d.

Mediumwatercolor with scraping out on wove paper

Dimensions6 3/8 × 9 3/8 in. (16.2 × 23.8 cm.)

Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Label TextCotman’s watercolors from the 1830s are experimental in nature. Rather than layering transparent washes, the artist used a mixture of watercolor and flour paste to create luminosity and a rich density of color. Worked in this heavy-bodied medium, Salmon Spearing depicts two figures fishing in a wide river, with craggy mountains rising beyond. The artist has concentrated on the application of his material, instead of using dramatic light effects. Dynamic brushstrokes applied in every direction create a sense of movement in both the clouds and the water (2022).

Status

Not on view

Object number61.25

Terms