THAMES ART

Barges have been rowed, as well as pulled, on the Thames for centuries. Many of us imagine that this was all a long time ago and the craft were small and light. It seems almost impossible that men propelled the huge steel barges we still see on the river today.

The river has always inspired artists but on this page we 'collect' pictures of the working Thames with tugs, lighters and barges against the London skyline - at least as beautiful as the trees and pleasure craft seen upriver I'm sure you'll agree.

These pictures show the river really working for London, steam tugs may be sending smoke into the air but just look at the nmber of barges... how many lorries do we use to move these commodities today?

If you have any examples of this kind of Thames art we'd be interested to hear from you.

Hold on a moment while they load, your patience will be rewarded.

this is a photo of a painting sent in by Ron Drake, he saw it many years ago in an antique shop in Somerset (of all places) we don't have its title but it was painted in 1914 by Henrie Pilcher and is a view from Tower Bridge towards London Bridge

The following pictures are taken from the book 'London in Paint' which catalogues the collection of paintings in the collection of the Museum of London.

The Temporary Waterloo Bridge

Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson 1938

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