Lot Essay
In 1870 Grimshaw moved to Knostrop Old Hall, just outside Leeds. The Leeds Corporation had recently bought a nearby estate called Roundhay Park and the town council was eager to promote a bill in Parliament to open the estate as a public park. As a result Grimshaw was requested to produce three paintings which would be used to illustrate the park's appearance to the Parliamentary Commmittee. The artist chose to depict three moonlit scenes, which had by then become synonymous with his name.
One of the three paintings, Full Moon behind Cirrus Cloud from the Roundhay Park Castle Battlements, 1872, similar to the present picture, was singled out for comment by the Leeds Mercury:
'...the lake is seen from the ivy-fringed battlement of the ruined tower, and appears in the deceptive haze to stretch unbroken to the horizon; the interlocking boughs of the near trees, in their winter nakedness, being carefully painted; while the more distant clumps are broadly massed in purple shadow.'
We are grateful to Alexander Robertson for his help in preparing this entry.
One of the three paintings, Full Moon behind Cirrus Cloud from the Roundhay Park Castle Battlements, 1872, similar to the present picture, was singled out for comment by the Leeds Mercury:
'...the lake is seen from the ivy-fringed battlement of the ruined tower, and appears in the deceptive haze to stretch unbroken to the horizon; the interlocking boughs of the near trees, in their winter nakedness, being carefully painted; while the more distant clumps are broadly massed in purple shadow.'
We are grateful to Alexander Robertson for his help in preparing this entry.