East View of Bishops Court
Date made: 1795
Description: East View of Bishops Court. A pair to painting 1954-7221. A charming country scene, in which the partly hidden mansion is seen in its " domesticated " form following Bishop Crigan's reparations in 1786. The mediaeval chapel, demolished by Bishop Murray in 1814, is well shown. On the horizon the Mull of Galloway, Slieve Croob and the Mourne Mountains are depicted with notable accuracy.
This is one of a series of 18th century watercolour paintings depicting the Isle of Man executed by Britain's leading watercolour artist John 'Warwick' Smith. In the 1790s John ‘Warwick’ Smith was commissioned by the 4th Duke of Atholl, John Murray (1755-1830), then Governor-in-Chief of the Isle of Man, to complete a series of watercolour drawings of the Isle of Man. Twenty-six were completed in total, some of the earliest watercolour paintings depicting the Island. When the Duke died in 1830 the Atholls’ connection to the Isle of Man was severed, and the paintings were taken to Blair Castle, the ancestral home of the Atholl family. In the 1950s the entire set was rediscovered and purchased for the Manx Museum and returned to the Isle of Man.
Measurements: artwork: 30.5 x 43.5cm
Materials: watercolour on paper
Object name: Painting
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1954-7222
Subject tags : #Johnwarwicksmith