Who painted Landscape with lake?

Landscape with lake was painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1774.

Where can I see Landscape with lake?

Landscape with lake is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Landscape with lake?

Landscape with lake is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Landscape with lake

Thomas Gainsborough , 1774

Landscape with lake is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Thomas Gainsborough. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Thomas Gainsborough’s 1774 drawing, executed in black chalk and pencil, presents a tranquil lakeside scene. The composition balances gentle hills, a meandering river, and a solitary, gnarled tree, all rendered in a muted monochrome palette that emphasizes atmosphere over detail.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a mist‑filled countryside where water runs calmly beneath a sky hinted at by faint shading. The lone tree, perched on a modest rise, serves as a focal point, suggesting solitude within the broader natural setting and inviting contemplation of the landscape’s quiet endurance.

Technique & Style

Gainsborough builds form through a network of fine dots, short strokes, and cross‑hatching, allowing subtle gradations of tone. This delicate handling of chalk and pencil creates a soft, almost ethereal quality, while the linear texture conveys both surface detail and atmospheric depth without relying on strong outlines.

History & Provenance

Created in 1774, the drawing belongs to Gainsborough’s early period of landscape studies, when he frequently employed sketchy media to explore compositional ideas. The piece has remained within private collections before entering a public holding, where it is cited as an example of his preparatory work for larger oil paintings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Thomas Gainsborough

Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English painter, draughtsman and printmaker who specialised in portrait and landscape painting.