Abergavenny Bridge Monmouthshire Clearing up after a Showery Day (A Bridge over the Usk)

This beautiful artwork was produced using pencil and watercolour, probably in that order, and is another example of Turner's love for the Welsh countryside.

The artist produced a number of depictions of this bridge, including both drawings and paintings. The bridge itself has been updated several times in order to strengthen it as well as cope with changing transport tastes. For example, in both the early and mid 19th century it was substantially amended, to initially add a tramway, before then bringing these two items together into one. It remains there today, and carries the A4143. The river that passes by underneath is the River Usk, which comes from the famous Brecon Beacons. This particular painting is now owned by the Victoria and Albert Museum, a broad institution that holds some impressive paintings within its collection, but focuses on a much wider array of art and antiquities from past civilisations up to the present day.

A quick visit to the V&A Museum website reveals that they actually refer to this painting by the title of A Bridge over the Usk. They give it a date of around the 1790s which should be fairly accurate because there is good documentation around the artist's travels, particuarly within Wales. It is believed that he created the scene whilst visiting, rather than using drawings at a later date. Being watercolour, it would have been easier for him to work in this way, rather than if using oils. Mr Henry Vaughan bequeathed the painting to the museum in 1900. The piece has also featured in a number of publications on the artist, but little more is known about it.