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Lot Essay
THIS IS A REPLICA WITH VARIATIONS OF LINNELL'S PICTURE OF 1856, RECENTLY SOLD FROM THE DRAMBUIE COLLECTION AT LYON & TURNBULL (26 JANUARY 2006, LOT 63). LINNELL WAS NO DOUBT ENCOURAGED TO PAINT THIS LARGER VERSION FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF A COMING STORM, EXHIBITED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY IN 1873, NO. 78 (NOW IN THE GLASGOW ART GALLERY AND MUSEUM, KELVINGROVE). CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AS ONE OF THE ARTIST'S MOST OUTSTANDING CANVASES THE ATHENAEUM DESCRIBED THE LATTER PICTURE AS A 'WORLD OF CLOUDS, WHICH ARE PASSING OVER A PLAIN, AND ROLLING ON IN SUCH A MULTITUDE THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THEY WOULD NEVER CEASE TO ROLL, AND MUST SOON DARKEN THE EARTH ITSELF ... FROM UNDER THE ARCH THE WIND ROARS IN THE SCANTY FOLIAGE, SO THAT THE NOISE, ADDED TO THE GLOOM OF THE COMING STORM, TERRIFIES THE SHEPHERDS, WHO HASTEN TO DRIVE THEIR FLOCKS BY A ROUGH ROAD TOWARDS SHELTER'. IN OUR PICTURE THE SHEPHERDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY HARVESTERS BUT THE DRAMATIC, APOCALYPTIC VIEW OF NATURE REMAINS.
IN 1892 LINNELL'S BIOGRAPHER, A.T. STORY, WROTE OF THE DRAMUBIE PICTURE: '[IT IS] UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE GRANDEST PASTORAL SUBJECTS THE ARTIST EVER PAINTED. IT DEPICTS THE UPROLLING OF A BLACK THUNDERCLOUD, THE CENTRAL NUCLEUS OF WHICH SEEMS JUST ABOUT TO BURST OVER THE HEADS OF A PARTY OF HARVESTERS. IT IS ALMOST TERRIFIC IN ITS GRANDEUR. THE EXECUTION IS NO LESS MASTERFUL THAN THE CONCEPTION'.
LINNELL IS ONE OF THE CENTRAL FIGURES OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM. HE WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF WILLIAM BLAKE, AND WAS FATHER-IN-LAW TO SAMUEL PALMER. WITH THEM HE SHARED AN APPRECIATION OF THE DIVINE PRESENCE IN NATURE, THE EARTH'S FECUNDITY, AND MAN'S POWERLESSNESS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH NATURAL FORCES. HE ACQUIRED A SMALL ESTATE IN SURREY IN THE 1850S, AND MANY OF HIS LANDSCAPES CELEBRATE THE SURREY WEALD.
THIS PICTURE WAS SELECTED FOR INCLUSION IN A PROPOSED GALLERY FOR THE CITY OF DUBLIN IN 1904.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO DAVID LINNELL FOR HIS HELP IN PREPARING THIS CATALOGUE ENTRY.
IN 1892 LINNELL'S BIOGRAPHER, A.T. STORY, WROTE OF THE DRAMUBIE PICTURE: '[IT IS] UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE GRANDEST PASTORAL SUBJECTS THE ARTIST EVER PAINTED. IT DEPICTS THE UPROLLING OF A BLACK THUNDERCLOUD, THE CENTRAL NUCLEUS OF WHICH SEEMS JUST ABOUT TO BURST OVER THE HEADS OF A PARTY OF HARVESTERS. IT IS ALMOST TERRIFIC IN ITS GRANDEUR. THE EXECUTION IS NO LESS MASTERFUL THAN THE CONCEPTION'.
LINNELL IS ONE OF THE CENTRAL FIGURES OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM. HE WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF WILLIAM BLAKE, AND WAS FATHER-IN-LAW TO SAMUEL PALMER. WITH THEM HE SHARED AN APPRECIATION OF THE DIVINE PRESENCE IN NATURE, THE EARTH'S FECUNDITY, AND MAN'S POWERLESSNESS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH NATURAL FORCES. HE ACQUIRED A SMALL ESTATE IN SURREY IN THE 1850S, AND MANY OF HIS LANDSCAPES CELEBRATE THE SURREY WEALD.
THIS PICTURE WAS SELECTED FOR INCLUSION IN A PROPOSED GALLERY FOR THE CITY OF DUBLIN IN 1904.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO DAVID LINNELL FOR HIS HELP IN PREPARING THIS CATALOGUE ENTRY.