About this artwork

Four figures in the foreground relax before a peaceful vista of a river, and a dynamic backdrop of a castle on a high, craggy wooded cliff. Here Wilson used a composition similar to that found in many of his views, combining topographical detail, often studied in North Wales and Cheshire, with some artistic licence. This imaginative scene is framed on the left by graceful tree trunks, which punctuate the sky. The delicate light, conveyed through soft colouring, is reflected in the river and enhances the sense of space.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Richard Wilson (1713/4 - 1782) Welsh
  • title:
    A River Scene with a Castle and Figures
  • date created:
    About 1755
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    85.10 x 127.00 cm; Framed: 129.00 x 171.50 x 18.50 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequest of Mrs Mary Veitch to the RSA 1875; transferred and presented 1910
  • accession number:
    NG 620
  • gallery:
  • subject:
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Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson