Edinburgh Castle

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

From its elevated position on Castle Rock, the majestic structure of Edinburgh Castle looms over a solemn scene below. Four carts carrying heavy loads follow a procession of soldiers marching towards the castle. In the foreground people in civilian dress, mainly women, appear to be wishing farewell to the soldiers. The scene may show soldiers gathering before their departure for a battle of the Crimean War.

William Gawin Herdman was born in Liverpool, the son of a corn merchant. He enrolled at the Liverpool Academy in 1824 and later worked as an art teacher. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists and the Liverpool Academy, of which he became Secretary in 1848. However, he was expelled from the Liverpool Academy in 1857. In the following year he helped to found the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts and he was also involved in setting up the first shilling art union. Herdman wrote on diverse subjects including cosmology and skating, and composed hymns and poetry. He had 16 children, four of whom became topographical artists. He died in Liverpool at the age of 77.

Places

Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Subjects

wagon, topography, townscape/cityscape, cliff, boy, woman, crowd, military uniform, kilt, child, soldier, road, castle

Materials & Techniques

paper (as artists material), watercolour (as artists materials), watercolour (as object name)

Artist

William Gawin Herdman (1805 - 1882)

Title

Edinburgh Castle

Date

1855

Medium

Watercolour on paper

Dimensions

height: 50.00 cm, width: 96.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Appleby Bros, March 1971

Inscription

Sbl&Insbr

GAC number

9195