- Description
-
- Creator(s)
- Thomas Girtin (1775-1802)
- Title
-
- Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
- Date
- 1795 - 1796
- Medium and Support
- Watercolour on laid paper (card)
- Dimensions
- 7.7 × 12.1 cm, 3 × 4 ¾ in
- Object Type
- Colour Sketch: Studio Work
- Subject Terms
- Castle Ruins; Yorkshire View
-
- Collection
- Catalogue Number
- TG0279
- Description Source(s)
- Viewed in January 2018
Provenance
Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833); his posthumous sale, Christie's, 26 June 1833, lot 81 or 82 as 'Views and ruins, in colours, on cards 10'; bought by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), £8 18s; accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest, 1856
Exhibition History
National Gallery, London, on display up to 1904
Bibliography
Finberg, 1909, vol.2, p.1243 as 'Netley Abbey' by Thomas Girtin; Finberg, 1913, pl.69b as 'Netley Abbey'; Bryant, 2005, p.86
Place depicted
Other entries in Topography without Travel:
The British Landscape at Second Hand
Thomas Girtin, Jan Peeter Verdussen
Windsor Castle, from the River Thames
Windsor Castle, from the River Thames
Untraced Works
Thomas Girtin, William Henry Wood
Windsor Castle: The Norman Gateway and the Round Tower, with Part of the Queen's Lodge
Windsor Castle: The Norman Gateway and the Round Tower, with Part of the Queen's Lodge
Clark Art Institute, Williamstown
Thomas Girtin, Unknown Artist
The Interior of Tintern Abbey, Showing the Choir and North Transept
The Interior of Tintern Abbey, Showing the Choir and North Transept
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
Thomas Girtin
A View in Windsor Great Park with Deer
A View in Windsor Great Park with Deer
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
An Ancient House, Possibly in Sussex
An Ancient House, Possibly in Sussex
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Interior of Tintern Abbey, Looking towards the West Window from the Choir
The Interior of Tintern Abbey, Looking towards the West Window from the Choir
Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Ruins of Newark Priory Church
The Ruins of Newark Priory Church
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Lancaster Castle and Priory Church, Seen with the Old Bridge over the River Lune
Lancaster Castle and Priory Church, Seen with the Old Bridge over the River Lune
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Barnard Castle and Bridge, from the River Tees
Barnard Castle and Bridge, from the River Tees
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Paul Sandby
The Ruined West Front of Dunbrody Abbey Church, County Wexford, Ireland
The Ruined West Front of Dunbrody Abbey Church, County Wexford, Ireland
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
The Refectory of Walsingham Priory
The Refectory of Walsingham Priory
British Museum, London
Thomas Girtin
The Ruined East End of Walsingham Priory Church
The Ruined East End of Walsingham Priory Church
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The West Tower of Rumburgh Priory Church
The West Tower of Rumburgh Priory Church
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
Dumbarton Rock, from the North
Dumbarton Rock, from the North
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
Kidwelly Church, with the Castle Beyond
Kidwelly Church, with the Castle Beyond
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Thomas Hearne
Kelso Abbey, from the North West
Kelso Abbey, from the North West
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Keep, Portchester Castle, from the North East
The Keep, Portchester Castle, from the North East
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Keep of Rochester Castle, from the South East
The Keep of Rochester Castle, from the South East
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Margam Abbey Church, from the North West
Margam Abbey Church, from the North West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Ruined East End of Walsingham Priory Church
The Ruined East End of Walsingham Priory Church
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Ruins of the Holy Ghost Chapel, Basingstoke
The Ruins of the Holy Ghost Chapel, Basingstoke
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
The Medieval Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt
The Medieval Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Thomas Hearne
Part of the Ruins of Lewes Castle, from the West
Part of the Ruins of Lewes Castle, from the West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Thomas Hearne
Glasgow High Street, Looking towards the Cathedral
Glasgow High Street, Looking towards the Cathedral
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Keep of Hedingham Castle, from the East
The Keep of Hedingham Castle, from the East
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Paul Sandby
The South Transept, Much Wenlock Priory Church
The South Transept, Much Wenlock Priory Church
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
Newport Castle, Monmouthshire
Newport Castle, Monmouthshire
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Portchester Castle, from the Outer Bailey
Portchester Castle, from the Outer Bailey
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Refectory of Walsingham Priory
The Refectory of Walsingham Priory
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
An Unidentified Church close to a Road
An Unidentified Church close to a Road
British Museum, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Keep of Hedingham Castle, from the South West
The Keep of Hedingham Castle, from the South West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
Kirkstall Abbey, from the North West
Kirkstall Abbey, from the North West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
Kirkstall Abbey, from the North West
Kirkstall Abbey, from the North West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Ruined Gateway of Mettingham Castle
The Ruined Gateway of Mettingham Castle
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Keep of Rochester Castle, Seen from outside the Walls
The Keep of Rochester Castle, Seen from outside the Walls
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Samuel Ireland
Tintern Abbey, from the River Wye
Tintern Abbey, from the River Wye
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Samuel Ireland
Tintern Abbey: The View from the Nave
Tintern Abbey: The View from the Nave
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Samuel Ireland
The Market at Aberystwyth
The Market at Aberystwyth
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Lancaster Castle, from the River Lune
Lancaster Castle, from the River Lune
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
Lancaster Castle, from the River Lune
Lancaster Castle, from the River Lune
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Lancaster Priory Church, Seen with the Old Bridge over the River Lune
Lancaster Priory Church, Seen with the Old Bridge over the River Lune
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Buttermere Bridge, from the Fish Inn
Buttermere Bridge, from the Fish Inn
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
The Medieval Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt
The Medieval Kitchen, Stanton Harcourt
Private Collection, Norfolk
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Rochester Cathedral, from the North East, with the Castle Beyond
Rochester Cathedral, from the North East, with the Castle Beyond
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
Glasgow High Street: Looking towards the Cathedral
Glasgow High Street: Looking towards the Cathedral
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
A Distant View of Corfe Castle
A Distant View of Corfe Castle
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
Chichester Cathedral, from the South West
Chichester Cathedral, from the South West
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, James Moore
The Gatehouse of Amberley Castle
The Gatehouse of Amberley Castle
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
A Lake and Mountains, Possibly in the Lake District
A Lake and Mountains, Possibly in the Lake District
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
A Lake and Mountains, Possibly in the Lake District
A Lake and Mountains, Possibly in the Lake District
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
An Unidentified View across a Lake, or along a Coast
An Unidentified View across a Lake, or along a Coast
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
A Road by a Pond, with a Church in the Distance
A Road by a Pond, with a Church in the Distance
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
A Road by a Pond, with a Church in the Distance
A Road by a Pond, with a Church in the Distance
British Museum, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
A Church Tower amongst Trees, with a Cart in the Foreground
A Church Tower amongst Trees, with a Cart in the Foreground
British Museum, London
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
An Unidentified Landscape, with a Church amongst Trees
An Unidentified Landscape, with a Church amongst Trees
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
Trees near a Lake or River, at Twilight
Trees near a Lake or River, at Twilight
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
A Hilly Landscape, with a Two-Arched Bridge
A Hilly Landscape, with a Two-Arched Bridge
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin
A Distant View of Tynemouth Priory, from the Sea
A Distant View of Tynemouth Priory, from the Sea
Tate, London
Thomas Girtin
An Upland Landscape, Possibly in Northumberland
An Upland Landscape, Possibly in Northumberland
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin, Edward Dayes
A Bridge in the Lake District, Possibly Grange Bridge, Borrowdale
A Bridge in the Lake District, Possibly Grange Bridge, Borrowdale
Private Collection
Thomas Girtin
Bridgnorth, on the River Severn
Bridgnorth, on the River Severn
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, San Marino
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Knaresborough, from the River Nidd
Knaresborough, from the River Nidd
Private Collection
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About this Work
This informal sketch-like view of part of the ruins of Middleham Castle in Yorkshire is based on TG0260 and is one of twenty or so small-scale watercolours that Girtin made after outline drawings that he had copied from the sketches of either his first significant patron, the amateur artist and antiquarian James Moore (1762–99), or his master, Edward Dayes (1763–1804), and Girtin certainly did not visit the site himself. The watercolours, all painted on card measuring roughly 3 × 4 ¾ in (7.6 × 12.1 cm), were produced for Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833), at whose posthumous sale they were purchased by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851).
Moore’s on-the-spot sketch is untraced, but it was reproduced as an aquatint (see TG0260 figure 1), and there is no question that it was the source for Girtin’s image, though it was produced with a very different function in mind. Unlike the aquatint, Girtin’s watercolour does not include any prominent figures or staffage. Its rapid execution and small scale hint that it was made on the spot, though this is impossible, and this effect is certainly enhanced by the way that the artist’s fingerprint has encroached onto the surface to the left. It has been suggested that Monro may have had a publication in mind when he commissioned Girtin to produce watercolours such as this (Wilton, 1984a, p.12). But, though their small scale certainly suited them to reproduction as book illustrations, the subjects chosen seem to follow no obvious pattern other than being generally amongst the lesser known of the nation’s medieval monuments. Monro was unsystematic in his commissioning habits and it may be that there was nothing that united the group other than the fact that Girtin’s outlines provided a ready resource from which sketch-like watercolours might be rapidly produced.
The paper is discoloured as a result of excessive exposure to light whilst on long-term exhibition. The differently toned areas (top, left and right) were protected by an earlier mount.
1794 - 1795
Part of the Ruins of Middleham Castle
TG0260