London through the eyes of an artist: Peter van Breda

By Marie-Claire Meredith

Checking in on the weather report, I saw that rain was coming for the next few days and as I am not an avid biker (much more a fair-weather cyclist) I knew I had to take advantage of the dry afternoon.

Peter’s paintings show the story of London through his travels. The imposing guardian of the capital, Tower Bridge, stands formidable against the sky line. Gleaming skyscrapers of the City with their rigid shapes clustering next to the majesty of St Paul’s; the natural curve of the River Thames leading us westward, with all the hustle and bustle of the various boats, to a greener scene, with tree lined embankments and crafted stonework buildings, hundreds of years old.

These are familiar cityscapes, whether seen daily on our commutes or often through the media. Buildings, locales that make up our London, recognisable yet new and exciting when we see them again with fresh eyes.

It was a fun adventure to trace the spots where Peter had painted and will once again, in the near future. To see what perspective he took, what he chose to include and what to omit, by moving the angle of his view.

It would have been a terrible day for painting – the light that Peter is so well known for, was flat and there was none of his dancing sunlight sparkling on the water. However, if you have the time and inclination, I can highly recommend taking a look at his page on our website, taking a snap on your phone and follow in his footsteps across London. You may notice things in our wonderful city that you haven’t seen before!

(I didn’t make it as far as Chelsea Embankment and Albert Bridge. Even my legs have their limits!)