Observations relative chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, made in the year 1776, on several parts of Great Britain; particularly the High-lands of Scotland
Gilpin’s 1768 "Essay on Prints" popularized the picturesque as a term associated with the pleasing irregularity of landscape forms. The author had worked as a headmaster and clergyman but became famous for a series of books published between 1782 and 1809 devoted to little-known regions in the British Isles. When he praised locations for their picturesque beauty, Gilpin’s books encouraged a new kind of tourism, and travelers quickly began to use them as guides. This is one of two volumes that describe his 1776 visit to Scotland illustrated with aquatints based on the author’s drawings. The wild, undeveloped character of Scotland’s mountains and lochs quickly attracted other English artists.
Artwork Details
- Title: Observations relative chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, made in the year 1776, on several parts of Great Britain; particularly the High-lands of Scotland
- Author: Written and illustrated by William Gilpin (British, Scaleby, Cumbria 1724–1804 Boldre, Hampshire)
- Printer: R. Blamire (London)
- Published in: London
- Date: 1789
- Medium: Illustrations: aquatint and etching with wash
- Dimensions: 9 x 5 7/8 x 7/8 in. (22.8 x 15 x 2.2 cm)
- Classification: Books
- Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1966
- Object Number: 66.735.2(1)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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