Description
This view of Caernarvon Castle across the river Seint was considered one of the most Romantic in Britain and was drawn by numerous artists (see no.4 for Sandby’s version). A smaller studio version, also dated 1777, was with Guy Peppiatt Fine Art in 2012 (see Guy Peppiatt, British Drawings and Watercolours, summer catalogue, 2012, no.7) and a larger version is in the National Museum of Wales (see William Hauptman, Samuel Hieronymous Grimm, A Very English Swiss, exhibition catalogue, 2014, no.57, p.159, ill. p.160). This on-the-spot sketch is the basis for an engraving of this view published on 1st January 1780.
This important watercolour dates from Grimm’s tour of Wales in the summer of 1777 with his patron Henry Penruddocke Wyndham (1736-1819). Few tourists or artists visited Wales before the 1770s as it was considered a wild and inhospitable place. However after Paul Sandby’s tour with Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn in 1771 (see no.4) and Thomas Pennant’s in the company of his artist Moses Griffith two years later amongst others, the resulting accounts and engravings led to a change in attitude. Wyndham and Grimm set out in June 1777 and spent three months travelling the country. They started in Bristol and worked their way along the south coast of Wales to Pembrokeshire before continuing north via Cilgarren ending in Caernarvon. After crossing to Anglesey, they continued south-east to Llangollen then south to Llanthony and Monmouth before recrossing the Severn into England.
Inscription
Inscribed upper centre: Caernarvon Castle and signed and inscribed verso: A view of Caernarvon Castle taken on the spot by S.H. Grimm. 1777 - NB this drawing was taken in very thick cloudy weather, in clear weather/there are many more Mountains, wich show themselves in the distance, wich were envelloped in Cloud and Fog.
Descriptive Medium
Pen and grey ink and grey washes on laid paper watermarked GR with a Strasburg Lily
Image Licence
All Rights Reserved
Image Credit
image © Guy Peppiatt Fine Art
Location
Caernarvon Castle, Gwynedd, Wales
Country
Wales
Tags
Category
Buildings & Architecture
