Stangate Creek, on the River Medway
- Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner
- Date: c.1823–4
- Medium: Watercolour on paper
- Dimensions: support: 162 x 240 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the *Stangate Creek, on the River Medway* by Joseph Mallord William Turner, created around 1823–24. In this modest‑sized watercolour, Turner splits the frame evenly between a bright, early‑morning light and a cluster of vessels on the right. The subtle play of reflected colour across the water is a hallmark of his marine work, inviting the eye to drift along the river’s surface.
What’s fascinating is how Turner revisits the scene in a black‑and‑white mezzotint: he adds a floating buoy in the open expanse, giving the viewer a tangible point of focus—something he did similarly in the famous *Fighting Temeraire*. This small addition underscores his skill at balancing natural light and compositional interest.
The piece sits within his “Rivers of England” series, capturing a slice of Kent’s estuarial landscape. It’s a neat example of how Turner melded observation, atmospheric study, and a subtle sense of drama, all within a compact 162 by 240 mm watercolour.
See it in person
Stangate Creek, on the River Medway is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
