A Morning, with a View of Cuckold’s Point
- Artist: Samuel Scott
- Date: c.1750–60
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 520 x 962 x 22 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “A Morning, with a View of Cuckold’s Point” by Samuel Scott, painted around 1750‑60 in oil on canvas. The work captures a sharp bend on the Thames near St Mary’s, Rotherhithe, in the soft, silvery light of dawn. On the right, a post topped with a pair of horns—an old‑fashioned symbol for a cuckold—marks the spot where, in local lore, a miller’s wife was said to have been seduced by King John. The painting is part of a pair: the companion piece shows Nine Elms at dusk, together creating a visual conversation between morning and evening along the river.
Scott’s composition is lively; a group of men work on a boat at the shore, caulking it with pitch over a fire, while the river carries vessels downstream. The scene balances the quietness of early light with the industriousness of the Thames traffic. The work was acquired by the National Gallery in 1944 through H.F. Tomalin and later transferred to its current home. It stands as a snapshot of 18th‑century London life, blending natural observation with a touch of narrative intrigue.
See it in person
A Morning, with a View of Cuckold’s Point 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.
