This poster print features Richard Parkes Bonington’s An Estuary in Northern France .

It is likely that Bonington made this around 1825-7 at La Ferté, on the estuary of the river Somme in northern France. He probably painted it on location using a wet-in-wet technique – painting directly onto wet paint rather than building up layers or glazes over time – that enabled him to recreate the spontaneity of watercolour in oils. Broad horizontal brushstrokes evoke an expansive blue sky.

Please note that the name of this painting has recently changed from La Ferté to An Estuary in Northern France.

About this painting

An Estuary in Northern France, possibly that of the River Somme,, about 1825
Oil on fibre board, 16.7 x 27.9 cm
© The National Gallery London, Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the National Gallery, 2012.

This poster has a classic white border, the artist's name and the National Gallery logo at the bottom.