William Gilpin, View of Tintern Abbey from the Road
William Gilpin, View of Tintern Abbey from the Road
Gilpin Tintern Abbey
3 thoughts on “William Gilpin, View of Tintern Abbey from the Road”
Actually both “Tintern from the land” and “View of Tintern-abbey from the road” appear to refer to the same view shown opposite page 45. Only yesterday I spotted an image on a Cambridge University web site with the same view and different title. Interestingly it may also be an original art work. It is essentially the same view (cutout) with minor differences but like mine it has a handwritten title in Gilpin’s distinctive handwriting. If so it is possible he created several versions as part of his Wye tour manuscripts passed around friends, or as he modified the illustrations shown in his book with each edition.
Titles are always difficult to get right but it is important in order to identify a particular work and sometimes the title provides clues to the meaning. In this case I found Gilpin’s Observations on the river Wye, and several parts of South Wales, &c. : relative chiefly to picturesque beauty: made in the summer of the year 1770 at https://archive.org/details/observationsonr00gilpgoog. There are engravings of Tintern Abbey opposite page 45 and page 47. Neither has a title but one is often referred to as ‘View of Tintern Abbey from the Road’ and the other ‘Tintern [Abbey] from the Land’. It is exciting that you have the original pen and wash drawing and it is titled. Is it the page 45 view or the page 47 view?
Actually both “Tintern from the land” and “View of Tintern-abbey from the road” appear to refer to the same view shown opposite page 45. Only yesterday I spotted an image on a Cambridge University web site with the same view and different title. Interestingly it may also be an original art work. It is essentially the same view (cutout) with minor differences but like mine it has a handwritten title in Gilpin’s distinctive handwriting. If so it is possible he created several versions as part of his Wye tour manuscripts passed around friends, or as he modified the illustrations shown in his book with each edition.
I own what I believe is Gilpin’s original 1770 ink, pen and wash of this view and it is actually titled “Tintern from the land”.
Titles are always difficult to get right but it is important in order to identify a particular work and sometimes the title provides clues to the meaning. In this case I found Gilpin’s Observations on the river Wye, and several parts of South Wales, &c. : relative chiefly to picturesque beauty: made in the summer of the year 1770 at https://archive.org/details/observationsonr00gilpgoog. There are engravings of Tintern Abbey opposite page 45 and page 47. Neither has a title but one is often referred to as ‘View of Tintern Abbey from the Road’ and the other ‘Tintern [Abbey] from the Land’. It is exciting that you have the original pen and wash drawing and it is titled. Is it the page 45 view or the page 47 view?