Study for the "Attack on Copenhagen"
1801–2
Medium
Black chalk, pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 1/4 x 17 1/2 in. (26 x 44.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Brooke Russell Astor Bequest, 2013
Accession Number
2013.69
Tags
Art Historical Context
This preparatory drawing by British artist Edward Francis Burney captures the intensity of a naval confrontation through its dynamic arrangement of ships, boats, and human figures. Created between 1801 and 1802, the sheet serves as a study for a larger composition titled “Attack on Copenhagen,” reflecting the era’s fascination with contemporary military events and maritime power. Burney employs a combination of black chalk, pen and brown ink, and gray wash to build depth and movement across the composition. The loose yet deliberate strokes allow him to explore positioning and gesture, giving ...
About the Artist
Edward Francis Burney · 1760–1848
Comment on works: Portraits, history