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item:- Dove Cottage :
2008.107.424
image:- ©
see bottom of page
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click to enlarge
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Print, oval sepia tinted aquatint, A Vale, Cumberland, by
William Gilpin, 1772-74, published by T Cadell and W Davies,
Strand, London, 1786.
Included in vol.2 opposite p.41 in Observations, Relative
Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, made in the year 1772.
The list of plates in the preface of the book has:-
'XVI. AN illustration of that beautiful species of
landscape, produced by an extensive vale. Gradation is among
the first principles of picturesque beauty. A graduating
light, a graduating shade, or a graduating distance, are all
beautiful. When the vale therefore does not exceed such a
proportion, as is adapted to the eye, it is pleasing to see
it fading away gradually, from the foreground, into the
obscurity of distance. It presents indeed only one uniform
idea; which, tho often grand, is not generally so pleasing,
as the variety, and intricacy of a country broken into
parts, and yet harmoniously combined. Page 41.'
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This may be a representation of the Vale of Keswick? The
text nearby, pp.40-41 has:-
'... As we rode nearer the northern limit of this chain,
Skiddaw, which is by much the highest mountain, appeared in
perspective, the least. Behind these mountains arise, in
order, Mosedale-fell - Carric - and Caudbeck - the tops of
which we sometimes saw, from the higher grounds, peering, in
their blue attire, over the concave parts of the browner
mountains, which stood nearer the eye.
'Between us, and this circular chain, which occupied the
whole horizon on the left, was spread a very extensive vale;
stretching from side to side hardly less the seven or eight
miles; and in length winding out of sight. It affords little
beauty, except what arises from the gradations of distance:
but it suggests an idea of greatness; which space, and grand
boundaries, however unadorned, will always suggest.
'This idea hath sometimes misled the tasteless improver of
little scenes. He has heard, the space gives beauty; but not
knowing how to accommodate the rule to circumstances, he
often shews all that is to be seen; when, in fact, he should
have hid half of it, as a deformity. Mere space gives the
idea of grandeur, rather than of beauty. Such an idea the
ocean presents. Grandeur therefore is not attained by
attempting it; while beauty is often lost. ...'
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source type:-
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Gilpin 1786 (?edn)
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wxh, page:-
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22x14cm
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wxh, image:-
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169x101mm
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