These watercolours of Loch Ness are currently up for sale on eBay. They were executed by a C. A. Grove in the late 19th century and the eBay blurb says:
From an album drawn between 1888 and 1892 by C A Grove of Ferne House,
Donhead St Andrew, Wiltshire. The album includes views of India,
Scotland, Jersey Southern England and their home, Ferne House. We have
been unable to determine the first names of the artist, or their
relation to Sir Thomas Grove. The watercolours were pasted to both sides
of the album pages. The India watercolours have been left intact. The
English and Scottish drawings have been removed from the album pages and
the inscriptions copied on to the reverse.
I like to look at these old paintings and get a sense of the place before technological and industrial advances took a hold and the new roads came along. And, perhaps, one such artist would have painted in a strange, dark looking object that just suddenly appeared as he contemplated the beautiful scene before him.
Mind you, some of those hills look well out of proportion, especially in the first painting!
"Loch Ness Wet Day"
"Loch Ness near Fort Augustus"
"Salmon Ladder, Invermoriston, Loch Ness"
"Loch Ness from Culachy"
"From a Boat on Loch Ness"
The author can be contacted at lochnesskelpie@gmail.com
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ReplyDeleteI like all of these except the top one, which bears no resemblance to the local topography.
ReplyDeleteNot a boat in sight...
ReplyDeleteNo tour boats, no tourist cruisers, but there was the ferries and roads were probably bad enough to make water transport an efficient option.
DeleteThe paintings give the impression that the artist has been formally schooled but hasn't quite mastered it yet. The general atmosphere created is really good, but there's also a certain naivety to the paintings. Nice to see these historic snapshots when you find them, Glasgow Boy.
ReplyDeleteGlasgow Boy, where did today's article about the new photo go?
ReplyDeleteWas updating it ... its back.
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