Thames Barges

Sailing barges on the River Thames were a common sight in early-1900s London, when Ethel Kirkpatrick was attending the city’s Central School of Arts and Crafts. Unmistakable with their huge sails, these flat-bottomed boats were designed to transport larger ships’ cargo into London through the Thames estuary, which was too shallow for big ships to navigate. The curved, streaky brush marks on the trees seem to add motion to the scene, while the mauves and lavenders lend a muted, end-of-day air. Kirkpatrick also darkened the sails, which in real life were a brilliant burnt red.