“Sambre on the Meuse,” by James Baker Pyne (1800-1870)
“Sambre on the Meuse,” by James Baker Pyne (1800-1870)
A fine atmospheric oil on canvas, dated 1842, recording the dramatic waterfront landscape at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre Rivers at town of Namur, Belgium. The remarkable cliff face topped by the ancient fortifications known as the Citadel, is still recognizable today. Pyne’s use of ethereal light and his obvious delight in rendering architectural landscapes as well as natural are typical of his oeuvre. Pyne (1800-1870) was a native of Bristol and was associated with the “Bristol School” of landscape painting in his earlier years before coming under the influence of the even more atmospheric, pre-impressionistic art of J. M. W. Turner, soon after his move to London around 1835. He became very accomplished, joining the ranks of the art establishment, exhibiting at the Royal Academy and later becoming president of the Society of British Artists.
H: 30 ½ W: 42 ¼ D: 3