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French, 'The Sky at Sunrise', 1821

About the work

The glowing sky is set between dark hills and threatening storm clouds, the strip of dense grey clouds at the top echoing the blue silhouette of land at the bottom. Distinctive jigsaw-shaped clouds are depicted in layers white hovering over grey, blue sky beyond fading to rose and peach at the horizon.

The inscription at the bottom edge gives an exact date and time of 4 May 1821 at half past five. It must be 5.30 in the morning, and the sketch was evidently executed rapidly. In his influential treatise of 1800, Elémens de perspective pratique, Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes recommended that no longer than half an hour be spent when capturing such fluid light conditions. While this sketch has not yet been attributed to an individual artist, the inscription implies that the painter is French.

Key facts

Full title
The Sky at Sunrise
Artist
French
Date made
1821
Medium and support
oil on paper, mounted on canvas
Dimensions
24 × 30 cm
Inscription summary
Dated and inscribed
Acquisition credit
Presented by the Lishawa family, 2018
Inventory number
NG6676
Location
Room 39
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
18th-century Italian Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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