Portrait of John Warwick Smith

The 57 Most Famous John Warwick Smith Paintings, a Gallery Selection

Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 57 works by John Warwick Smith in our catalogue

In short

Of all the originals John Warwick Smith left, the most famous is The Colosseum. Close behind it come In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri and Near Glarus, Switzerland (1781). Our catalog holds 57 works by John Warwick Smith; the gallery has kept the 57 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.

1749 – 1831, Irthlington Romanticism Most works: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
The Colosseum by John Warwick Smith1. The Colosseum In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri by John Warwick Smith2. In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri Near Glarus, Switzerland (1781) by John Warwick Smith3. Near Glarus, Switzerland 1781

John Warwick Smith's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice

The John Warwick Smith selection continues, 11 to 57

11The Northern Boundary Of St. Bride's Bay by John Warwick SmithThe Northern Boundary Of St. Bride's Bay 12Convent At Vietri, Near Salerno by John Warwick SmithConvent At Vietri, Near Salerno 13Isola Madre, Lago Maggiore by John Warwick SmithIsola Madre, Lago Maggiore 14Matlock High Tor by John Warwick SmithMatlock High Tor 15Salerno by John Warwick SmithSalerno 16On Mt. Palatine by John Warwick SmithOn Mt. Palatine 17Isola Madre by John Warwick SmithIsola Madre 18The Villa Medici, Rome by John Warwick SmithThe Villa Medici, Rome 19On The Coast Of Sorrentum by John Warwick SmithOn The Coast Of Sorrentum 20Coast Near Sorrento by John Warwick SmithCoast Near Sorrento 21Bay Scene In Moonlight by John Warwick SmithBay Scene In Moonlight 22The Ruins Of Cymmer Abbey On The Maw River by John Warwick SmithThe Ruins Of Cymmer Abbey On The Maw River 23Ullswater, Looking Toward Patterdale by John Warwick SmithUllswater, Looking Toward Patterdale 24View Of Vesuvius by John Warwick SmithView Of Vesuvius 25Cascade Of Buffalora by John Warwick SmithCascade Of Buffalora 26Bay Skin In Moonlight by John Warwick SmithBay Skin In Moonlight 27View Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy by John Warwick SmithView Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy 28Approach To Belle Grange Park by John Warwick SmithApproach To Belle Grange Park 29Village Of Stonethwaite And Eagle Cragg, Borrowdale by John Warwick SmithVillage Of Stonethwaite And Eagle Cragg, Borrowdale 30Saint Michael's Mount, Cornwall by John Warwick SmithSaint Michael's Mount, Cornwall 31Alpine Scene by John Warwick SmithAlpine Scene 32The Slate Quarries At Bron Llwyd by John Warwick SmithThe Slate Quarries At Bron Llwyd 33River Landscape With A Single Arched Bridge by John Warwick SmithRiver Landscape With A Single Arched Bridge 34Llyn Geirionedd Not Far From Trefriew, On The River Conway by John Warwick SmithLlyn Geirionedd Not Far From Trefriew, On The River Conway 35Alpine Bridge And Woodland Scenery Near Pistil Y Maw by John Warwick SmithAlpine Bridge And Woodland Scenery Near Pistil Y Maw 36Lake Windermere From Calgarth With Belle Isle by John Warwick SmithLake Windermere From Calgarth With Belle Isle 37The Hermitage At Frascati by John Warwick SmithThe Hermitage At Frascati 38Near Pontaberglaslyn by John Warwick SmithNear Pontaberglaslyn 39River Scene by John Warwick SmithRiver Scene 40Iew From The Vidette Near Hakin On Signal Hill by John Warwick SmithIew From The Vidette Near Hakin On Signal Hill 41The River Tay And Tributary by John Warwick SmithThe River Tay And Tributary 42In The Camp Vaccinio At Rome by John Warwick SmithIn The Camp Vaccinio At Rome 43Approach to Belle grounge park by John Warwick SmithApproach to Belle grounge park 44The Priory Of Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire by John Warwick SmithThe Priory Of Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire 45The Colosseum, Rome by John Warwick SmithThe Colosseum, RomeNationalmuseum 46Craig Y Ladron - The Thieves Precipice by John Warwick SmithCraig Y Ladron - The Thieves Precipice 47The Falls Of The Doshart With Upper End Of Loch Tay by John Warwick SmithThe Falls Of The Doshart With Upper End Of Loch Tay 48Hafod- Upper Part Of Cascade by John Warwick SmithHafod- Upper Part Of Cascade 49An Interior View Of The Colosseum, Rome by John Warwick SmithAn Interior View Of The Colosseum, Rome 50A View Of Tivoli Looking Towards Rome by John Warwick SmithA View Of Tivoli Looking Towards Rome 51Carnedd Llewelyn And Carnedd David, Carnarvonshire, Seen Across The River Ogwen by John Warwick SmithCarnedd Llewelyn And Carnedd David, Carnarvonshire, Seen Across The River Ogwen 52Ruins Of Cricceith Castle And Part Of The Town On The Bay On Cardigan by John Warwick SmithRuins Of Cricceith Castle And Part Of The Town On The Bay On Cardigan 53River With Bridge by John Warwick SmithRiver With Bridge 54Falls Of Tivoli by John Warwick SmithFalls Of Tivoli 55A Fisherman In The Vale Of Myfod, Site Of The Palace Of The Princess Of Powis by John Warwick SmithA Fisherman In The Vale Of Myfod, Site Of The Palace Of The Princess Of Powis 56Auckland Castle, Co. Durham - View over the River Gauntless by John Warwick SmithAuckland Castle, Co. Durham - View over the River Gauntless 57The Lakes Of Llanberis - From The Road From Carnarvon Going To Llanberis by John Warwick SmithThe Lakes Of Llanberis - From The Road From Carnarvon Going To Llanberis

John Warwick Smith's famous paintings, period by period

Mature Period

6 works in this list
Castle Point, John Warwick Smith #8 Castle Point The Falls Of Tivoli With Three Figures In, John Warwick Smith #9 The Falls Of Tivoli With Three Figures In The Val D'aosta, Piedmont, John Warwick Smith #10 The Val D'aosta, Piedmont The Northern Boundary Of St. Bride's Bay, John Warwick Smith #11 The Northern Boundary Of St. Bride's Bay Convent At Vietri, Near Salerno, John Warwick Smith #12 Convent At Vietri, Near Salerno

Late Medieval

3 works in this list
River Landscape With A Single Arched Bridge, John Warwick Smith #33 River Landscape With A Single Arched Bridge River Scene, John Warwick Smith #39 River Scene Hafod- Upper Part Of Cascade, John Warwick Smith #48 Hafod- Upper Part Of Cascade

The subjects that held John Warwick Smith's eye

The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.

Scenes 7 works

Bay Scene In Moonlight, John Warwick Smith #21 Bay Scene In Moonlight View Of Vesuvius, John Warwick Smith #24 View Of Vesuvius View Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy, John Warwick Smith #27 View Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy Alpine Scene, John Warwick Smith #31 Alpine Scene

Beach 6 works

In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri, John Warwick Smith #2 In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri On The Coast Of Sorrentum, John Warwick Smith #19 On The Coast Of Sorrentum Coast Near Sorrento, John Warwick Smith #20 Coast Near Sorrento Bay Skin In Moonlight, John Warwick Smith #26 Bay Skin In Moonlight

Rivers 5 works

The Ruins Of Cymmer Abbey On The Maw River, John Warwick Smith #22 The Ruins Of Cymmer Abbey On The Maw River The River Tay And Tributary, John Warwick Smith #41 The River Tay And Tributary Carnedd Llewelyn And Carnedd David, Carnarvonshire, Seen Across The River Ogwen, John Warwick Smith #51 Carnedd Llewelyn And Carnedd David, Carnarvonshire, Seen Across The River Ogwen River With Bridge, John Warwick Smith #53 River With Bridge

Buildings 4 works

The Villa Medici, Rome, John Warwick Smith #18 The Villa Medici, Rome Ruins Of Cricceith Castle And Part Of The Town On The Bay On Cardigan, John Warwick Smith #52 Ruins Of Cricceith Castle And Part Of The Town On The Bay On Cardigan Auckland Castle, Co. Durham - View over the River Gauntless, John Warwick Smith #56 Auckland Castle, Co. Durham - View over the River Gauntless View Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy, John Warwick Smith #27 View Of The Early Castle Of Diganwy

The museums that keep John Warwick Smith's originals

The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by John Warwick Smith Paintings from this list
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, BirminghamBirmingham Museum and Art Gallery Birmingham 4 Near Glarus, Switzerland, Naples From Sir William Hamilton's Villa, Wooded Landscape
Nationalmuseum, StockholmNationalmuseum Stockholm 1 The Colosseum, Rome

John Warwick Smith decade by decade: the original that defines each

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.

Collectors' questions about John Warwick Smith's paintings

Which work is John Warwick Smith most famous for?Reveal the answer

The Colosseum. In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri and Near Glarus, Switzerland (1781) come next.

What are the ten most famous John Warwick Smith paintings?Reveal the answer

The Colosseum, In The Bay Of Salerno, Near Vietri, Near Glarus, Switzerland, Naples From Sir William Hamilton's Villa, Wooded Landscape, The Town and Castle of Warwick, Porta tiburtina, Castle Point, The Falls Of Tivoli With Three Figures In and The Val D'aosta, Piedmont. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.

How many paintings did John Warwick Smith leave?Reveal the answer

Our catalog holds 57 works by John Warwick Smith, dated from 1781 to 1800.

In which museums do John Warwick Smith's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer

Mostly in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Birmingham) and Nationalmuseum (Stockholm). The museum table above lists them all.

In which years did John Warwick Smith paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer

In 1780s: 2 of the 57 works on this page were made then, Near Glarus, Switzerland among them.

What are the first and the last famous originals of John Warwick Smith?Reveal the answer

On this page, the earliest is Near Glarus, Switzerland (1781) and the latest The Town and Castle of Warwick (1800).

Which subjects did John Warwick Smith choose most often?Reveal the answer

Scenes (7), Beach (6) and Rivers (5), across the 57 works on this page.

To which art movement does John Warwick Smith belong?Reveal the answer

Romanticism, judging by the originals on this page.

Which John Warwick Smith works hang at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery?Reveal the answer

Near Glarus, Switzerland, Naples From Sir William Hamilton's Villa and Wooded Landscape: the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham holds 4 of the works on this page.

John Warwick Smith: life and work

The Visionary of Light and Landscape

In the golden age of British watercolor, few names evoke the atmospheric splendor of the Romantic era quite like John Warwick Smith. A pioneer who bridged the gap between meticulous topographical recording and the emotive power of landscape painting, Smith possessed a rare ability to translate the rugged textures of the natural world into luminous, breathing compositions. Born in 1749 in Irthington, near Carlisle, his early life was deeply intertwined with the pastoral rhythms of the English countryside. As the son of a gardener to the esteemed Gilpin family, he was positioned at the very threshold of artistic greatness, benefiting from a lineage of connection that would eventually lead him under the tutelage of the celebrated animal painter, Sawrey Gilpin. This early training instilled in him a profound respect for anatomical precision and organic form, laying the groundwork for a career defined by both accuracy and artistry.

Smith’s ascent within the British art scene was marked by his remarkable skill as a draughtsman. His early professional endeavors, most notably his contributions to Samuel Middiman’s Select Views in Great Britain, established him as a master of detail, capable of capturing the architectural and geological essence of the British Isles. However, it was the transformative patronage of George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, that would forever alter the trajectory of his work. This aristocratic support provided Smith with the freedom to venture beyond the familiar borders of Cumberland, leading to a monumental voyage to Italy between 1776 and 1781. It was during these years of wandering through Rome and Naples that the artist truly found his voice, absorbing the classical light and dramatic vistas of the Mediterranean.

A Stylistic Evolution: From Topography to Romance

The period spent in Italy served as a crucible for Smith’s artistic evolution. Immersed in the vibrant artistic milieu of Southern Europe, he moved away from the more rigid, descriptive techniques of his youth toward a much richer, more expressive application of watercolor. He began to move beyond simple tinting—the standard practice of his contemporaries—to embrace a sophisticated palette and a more fluid brushwork that captured the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere. This transition earned him the affectionate nicknames "Warwick" or "Italian" Smith, reflecting both his patron and his profound connection to the landscapes of the continent.

His works from this era are characterized by a breathtaking sense of scale and drama. Whether documenting the volcanic majesty of Mount Vesuvius or the serene, sun-drenched shores of Lake Como, Smith utilized color not merely as a decorative element, but as a narrative tool to evoke emotion. His ability to render the interplay of shadow and brilliance allowed him to capture the very soul of his subjects, making his landscapes feel less like static maps and more like lived experiences. This mastery of light placed him at the forefront of a movement that sought to find the sublime within the natural world, influencing the development of the Romantic landscape tradition.

Legacy and Artistic Significance

The historical significance of John Warwick Smith lies in his role as a bridge between the topographical traditions of the 18th century and the expressive landscapes of the 19th. He did not merely record what he saw; he interpreted the feeling of the terrain. His collaborations with fellow artists such as Francis Towne and Thomas Hearne, alongside his documented encounters with luminaries like Francesco Hayez, placed him at the heart of an international artistic dialogue.

Today, Smith’s legacy is preserved in the prestigious collections of institutions such as the British Museum, the Tate, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His contributions to the medium of watercolor helped elevate it from a secondary sketching tool to a respected fine art capable of profound complexity. When viewing his works today, one is struck by several enduring elements:

  • Technical Precision: An unwavering commitment to the structural integrity of the landscape.
  • Atmospheric Innovation: The pioneering use of color to simulate light, mist, and heat.
  • Emotional Resonance: A capacity to evoke the grandeur and the intimacy of both British and Italian scenery.

Through his meticulous documentation of Wales and Italy, Smith left behind a visual treasury that continues to inspire awe, reminding us of a time when the brush was used to capture the very breath of the earth.

All 57 works by John Warwick Smith →