Who painted The Second Cataract?

The Second Cataract was painted by John Talbot Coke in 1882.

Where can I see The Second Cataract?

The Second Cataract is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Second Cataract?

The Second Cataract is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

The Second Cataract

John Talbot Coke , 1882

The Second Cataract is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist John Talbot Coke. It dates from 1882 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The Second Cataract is a watercolour attributed to Major John Talbot Coke, based on George Alexander Hoskins' 1833 Ethiopian travels, as published in Travels in Ethiopia (1835). It depicts the Nile's second cataract.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork captures a natural scene of the Nile River's second cataract, featuring a rocky riverbed with shallow, rushing water, set against a soft blue sky with a pink-tinged horizon and distant, fading hills.

Technique & Style

Executed in loose, sketchy brushstrokes, the watercolour allows colors to blend naturally, characteristic of the period's watercolour techniques.

History & Provenance

Acquired by the collection in April 1981 from Maggs Brothers for £46, its creation traces back to Hoskins' original 1833 drawing or a subsequent lithograph.

Context

Reflecting early 19th-century artistic approaches to realism, the piece aligns with contemporary practices of capturing scenes in a straightforward, observant manner.