US$870.32 This is a beautiful antique watercolour which depicts a view of The Thames at Twickenham, circa 1850. The watercolour is signed lower right John Cooke Bourne (1814-1896). It is double framed in a simple golden frame which matches the background perfectly. There is an inscription at the back of the painting which confirms the name of the artist and further names which are difficult to decipher. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 41 x Width 51 x Depth 4 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 foot, 4 inches x Width 1 foot, 8 inches x Depth 2 inches John Cooke Bourne (1814–1896) was an artist and engraver. He is best known for his lithographs showing the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway and the Great Western Railway. His book Drawings of the London & Birmingham Railway was published in 1838. He then carried out a similar project during the building of the Great Western Railway. History and Description of the Great Western Railway was published in 1843. In 1848 Charles Vignoles invited Bourne to record the building of the Dnieper Bridge in Kiev, Russia. Bourne also took photographs of the men working on the bridge. Each set of prints was published as separate books, and became classic representations of the construction of the early railways. Prints were often hand coloured for a vivid picture of events. Clues as to the problems encountered can be seen for example in his print of Sonning Cutting where a terrible train accident had occurred in December 1842. The train had collided with a landslip and killed nine stonemasons returning from work in London to the West Country. The picture shows labourers working to clear further slips in the bank. Another of his famous prints shows a...