Kings College Chapel From The River Cam – Cambridge Art

Description

On my last trip to the UK, one of my favorite experiences was drifting down the River Cam in Cambridge. Cambridge in general was a gorgeous city. Yet the side of Cambridge one sees from the river was by far my favorite. This is the side of Cambridge that locals refer to as The Backs. The fact the river views of this ancient buildings is now referred to as the back of Cambridge says a lot about the changes in travel over the centuries. When river travel was the preferred and faster way of getting around, the river side of these old buildings was at least as important as the street side. Many a visitor to Cambridge in centuries past would have seen this side of Kings College Chapel before they ever saw any other side of it. A beautiful river frontage was an exercise in putting the best foot forward.

Our lazy punt down the Cam featured typically British weather. One minute the clouds gathered and the sun fled, the next the sun streamed in. It was a gorgeously moody British day as we floated past Kings College. One of my favorite things about this Cambridge print is how the clouds in the sky seem to mirror the skyline over the towering Perpendicular Gothic facade of Kings College Chapel and the neighboring Neoclassical Gibbs Building. Those skies create a very natural framing to that classic architecture. And best of all is that beautiful moody reflection in the dreamy waters of the River Cam.

I love the timeless quality of this print. Cambridge is a beautiful city filled with historic architecture like the medieval Kings College Chapel. There’s such a sense of rich heritage to the place, a feeling that Cambridge is ever-lasting. Cambridge is high on my list of places to see again someday.

Have you punted past Kings College on the Cam? Or does the dramatic architecture in this Cambridge print simply speak to you? I would really like to hear what speaks to you in this print.