On the outskirts of a town

William Taverner's sale included watercolours of views 'behind Cavendish Square and in the environs of London', as well as views at or from Camberwell, Highgate, Woolwich and Hampstead (K. Sloan, 'A Noble Art', Amateur Artists and Drawing Masters c. 1600-1800, ex. cat., British Museum, 2000, under no. 60, p. 93). The present watercolour is one of the most sophisticated of Taverner's productions. It has every appearance of being a real view, but also the elegance of his capriccios featuring Italianate buildings such as the one in the Oppé collection, Tate Britain. In the present watercolour, as in the smaller Oppé drawing, long shadows suggest evening or early morning light. The vertical and horizontal fold marks appear to have been made by the artist as an aid to composition. Several of the rooflines follow the horizontal mark; the tree is carefully arranged across the central vertical fold mark. At the intersection of the two folds is a lantern rooflight on a building.