Towpath Collection (#5)

Thames, 1879 (w / c on paper)
XPG366380 Thames, 1879 (w/c on paper) by Bradley, William (fl.1872-89); Private Collection; American, out of copyright

A paper mill, illustration from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers
XIR287233 A paper mill, illustration from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers by Denis Diderot (1713-84) engraved by Robert Benard (fl.1734) published c.1770 (engraving) (b/w photo) by Goussier

The Water Coach (oil on canvas)
XIR260599 The Water Coach (oil on canvas) by Ruysdael, Jacob Salomonsz. (1630-81); Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague, Netherlands; (add.info.: Le Coche d eau; ); Dutch, out of copyright

The Seine at the Pont d Iena, Winter, 1875 (oil on canvas)
XIR24926 The Seine at the Pont d Iena, Winter, 1875 (oil on canvas) by Gauguin, Paul (1848-1903); 65x92.5 cm; Musee d Orsay, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

Advert for the Columbia Bicycle by The Pope MFG Co. Boston (colour litho)
XJL211237 Advert for the Columbia Bicycle by The Pope MFG Co. Boston (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA; American, out of copyright

The Saint-Martin Canal (oil on canvas)
XIR155495 The Saint-Martin Canal (oil on canvas) by Firmin-Girard, Marie Francois (1838-1921); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

View on the River Thames at Richmond (?), c. 1776 (oil on canvas)
XYC199588 View on the River Thames at Richmond (?), c.1776 (oil on canvas) by Marlow, William (1740-1813); 33.8x48.8 cm; Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, USA; English

Boy on a hunt horse, Christiaan Wilhelmus Moorrees, 1811 - 1867

A Barge below Flatford Lock, c. 1810 (oil on canvas)
XYC158027 A Barge below Flatford Lock, c.1810 (oil on canvas) by Constable, John (1776-1837); 19.5x31.1 cm; Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, USA; English, out of copyright

The Little Bridge, 1850 (etching)
XKH149243 The Little Bridge, 1850 (etching) by Meryon, Charles (1821-68); 26.5x18.5 cm; On Loan to the Hamburg Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany; French, out of copyright

Landscape with figures in a barge: september, Jan van de Velde (II), 1608 - 1618

Landscape with figures in a barge: September Jan van de Velde (II), 1608-1618, print maker: Jan van de Velde II, Reinier Telle, 1608 - 1618 and or 1630 - 1699

River view with barges, Jan van de Velde (II), Cornelis Willemsz Blaeu-Laken, 1627

Thames Towpath
circa 1904: A view of the towpath running between Hampton Court Bridge and Kingston Bridge, England. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Boys Diving
11th August 1938: A young schoolboy diver gives an exhibition to his fishing friends on the towpath at Putney. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Pleasure Boat
August 1907: The pleasure steamer, the Queen Elizabeth, coming up the River Thames from Kingston Bridge to Hampton Court, seen from the towpath. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan - peaceful riverside scene on the outskirts of the city. Date: circa 1910s

Maidenhead, Berkshire - View from the Bridge Date: 1903

South Marsh Mill, Arundel, West Sussex
South Marsh Mill on River Arun at Arundel, West Sussex - emerging from a misty gloom... Now converted into a house and (sadly) bereft of its magnificent sails Date: circa 1920

Barges on Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal in frost, Pencelli, Brecon Beacons National Park, Powys, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

View of towpath and canal, Exeter Canal, South of Exeter, Devon, England, March

Roller skating very much in fashion. Lady students from Girton on the towpath waving to oarsmen rowing on the river. George du Maurier cartoon from Punch, London, 15 April 1876

Canal boat for passengers and freight with framework for tarpaulin (top) and boat for freight covered with tarpaulin (bottom)

Entrance to the first Harecastle tunnel on the Grand Trunk (later Trent and Mersey) Canal. Built by the English civil engineer James Brindley (1716-1772) between 1770 and 1777

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The towpath, a picturesque pathway that winds alongside canals and rivers, has long been a beloved feature of many towns and cities. In Ware, Herts during the 1880s, Peter Henry Emerson captured the tranquil beauty of this path in his stunning photographs. Meanwhile, Johannes Vermeer's "View of Delft" from the 1660s showcases a charming scene where people stroll along the towpath admiring the canal's reflection. Moving forward to more recent times, we find ourselves on Fish and Chips bridge in Stoke-on-Trent. Here, locals gather on the towpath to enjoy their favorite British delicacy while watching boats pass by on Trent Bridge in Nottinghamshire. And who could forget that iconic image of a man riding a penny farthing into a canal? This chromolithograph captures both the daring spirit of adventure and the peacefulness found along these waterways. As we venture further north to Manchester's Castlefield Canal Basin in Lancashire, we witness bustling activity as horse-drawn barges navigate through Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The early 1900s come alive with scenes of hardworking barge workers transporting goods along this historic trade route. Heading south again towards Oxfordshire brings us to another famous stretch of river: The Thames. Rowers from Oxford Eight practice diligently amidst elegant houseboats lining the towpath. Spectators eagerly gather to watch their skillful maneuvers as they glide past. Traveling back in time to Bougival in 1864 takes us across borders into Europe where French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir immortalized an idyllic scene along its towpath with his oil painting "The Tow Path at Bougival. " This masterpiece perfectly captures nature's tranquility blending seamlessly with human presence. Finally, John Constable's "The White Horse" transports us across continents to Lockport, New York State in America where Erie Canal Locks stand proudly beside the towpath.