Near the Thames’ Lock, Windsor

A wide, tranquil river dominates this painting, reflecting a sky that transitions from bright, hazy light to darker, more dramatic clouds. The scene captures the Thames near Windsor, a familiar stretch of water for the artist, who spent time in Brentford and Sunningwell during his youth. Here, the river is a stage for everyday life, with small boats navigating its surface and figures dotting the banks. The composition draws the eye along the water's gentle curve, past distant structures, towards an atmospheric glow that suggests either dawn or dusk. This work, created in 1809, comes from a period when the artist, then in his mid-thirties, had already established his reputation as a painter of maritime scenes and was exploring diverse landscapes beyond the dramatic storms for which he was also known. It’s a quiet moment, yet full of the expressive coloring and imaginative landscape that would mark much of his output.