[Ruins of the Monastery Cloisters, Yuste]
One of the legion of British photographers dispersed throughout the world during the early days of the medium, Clifford had the distinction of serving as official photographer to Queen Isabella II of Spain. The patronage was a blessing, for it facilitated his access to the great architectural monuments of Spain and gave him freedom to practice his art.
Begun in the fifteenth century, the Hieronymite monastery of Yuste was where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V chose to retire in 1557, one year before his death. As a native Englishman, Clifford was imbued with Romantic notions of such ruins-of their symbolic evidence of the grandeur of human aspirations and of their inevitably temporal nature.
Begun in the fifteenth century, the Hieronymite monastery of Yuste was where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V chose to retire in 1557, one year before his death. As a native Englishman, Clifford was imbued with Romantic notions of such ruins-of their symbolic evidence of the grandeur of human aspirations and of their inevitably temporal nature.
Artwork Details
- Title: [Ruins of the Monastery Cloisters, Yuste]
- Artist: Charles Clifford (Welsh, 1819–1863)
- Date: 1858
- Medium: Albumen silver print from glass negative
- Dimensions: 42.3 x 32.5 cm. (16 5/8 x 12 13/16 in.)
- Classification: Photographs
- Credit Line: Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 1989
- Object Number: 1989.1053
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Charles Clifford
1860
Charles Clifford
1860
Charles Clifford
1860
Charles Clifford
1860
Charles Clifford
1860
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.