The Thames On A Starry Night In London

Description

Standing on the banks of the Thames at night is simply magical. You can practically feel the history rising into the night sky. There’s been a city on the banks of the Thames going back to at least Londinium in ancient Roman times. Some think there may have been a pre-Roman settlement but physical evidence for life on the Thames that far back is lacking.

What I have always loved about London is the clear sense that it’s a living city, not a museum relic. There’s a long history, for sure. St Paul’s Cathedral just for instance is centuries old built following the destruction of Old St Paul’s in the Great Fire of 1666. And in the foreground is Blackfriars Bridge, the current incarnation being opened by Queen Victoria in the 19th century. The Skyline of London is forever and yet ever-changing. That’s the magic of a city as old and important as London.

This particular Thames artwork is based off photos from one of my earlier trips to London. I still remember the cool night air walking along the South bank of the river. When I spotted St. Paul’s dome reaching into the night sky… well, it was pure magic. It was the London I had dreamed of with the old city unfolding before me. And that magical feeling of the Thames on a starry night was the message of this piece of art. Something I think many of us can identify with whether we’ve stood on the banks of the Thames at night or it’s still a distant dream.

In the end, it’s a story as much about the beautiful architecture of London as it is about that ancient river, the Thames. London, whenever it was founded, would simply not be the city it is today without the Thames. And the river is more enduring ultimately than all the buildings that have been built along it every since.

If this Starry Night on the Thames print speaks to you, I hope you might take a moment to share what about it appeals most to you?