Artwork
Houses in Canon Lane, The Close, Winchester
Houses in Canon Lane, The Close, Winchester is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Somers Clarke. It dates from 5 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a pencil drawing dated June 1870 that records a row of residential structures on Canon Lane within The Close, Winchester.
About this work
The artist wrote the title and date in the corner: *Houses in Canon Lane, The Close, Winchester, June 1870*.
This sketch shows a simple two-story house with a steep, triangular roof. The walls are plain, and the windows have shutters—some open, some closed. A small porch sits under the front window, and a streetlamp leans near the corner of the building. The drawing is all in pencil, with light shading to show depth.
The artist wrote the title and date in the corner: *Houses in Canon Lane, The Close, Winchester, June 1870*. The sketch looks like a quick study of real buildings, not a polished work.
If you like this kind of drawing, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
Overview
The work is a pencil drawing dated June 1870 that records a row of residential structures on Canon Lane within The Close, Winchester. Rendered in a compact format, the piece functions as a rapid observational study rather than a finished composition, emphasizing architectural form through line and modest shading.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing captures a modest two‑storey house characterized by a steep gable roof, plain wall surfaces, and shuttered windows—some open, others closed. A small porch lies beneath the front window, and a streetlamp leans at the corner, suggesting everyday urban life in a nineteenth‑century English town.
Technique & Style
Executed entirely in pencil, the artist employs light cross‑hatching and tonal shading to convey depth and volume. The handling is brisk, with minimal detail, indicating a focus on quick visual recording rather than elaborate finish.
History & Provenance
The piece bears its title and date in the lower corner, confirming its creation in June 1870. No further ownership or exhibition history is recorded, implying it may have remained within a private collection or archival context since its production.
Artist & collection
Artist
George Somers Clarke was an architect and English Egyptologist who worked on the restoration and design of churches and at a number of sites throughout Egypt, notably in El Kab, where he built a mud brick house.
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