Andrew Nicholl (1804-86)
Fingal's Cave, Staffa 1858-68
Pencil and watercolour | 48.4 x 36.1 cm (sight) | RCIN 450641
-
A watercolour showing a view looking out from the inside of Fingal's Cave, with a sailing boat in the foreground. Signed at bottom right: A Nicholl R.H.A.
Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and some of their family visited Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa during their tour of the West Coast of Scotland in 1847. The Queen recorded her impressions of the natural wonder in her journal: 'the wonderful Basaltic formation, which is most extraordinary ... we turned the corner to go into the renowned Fingall's Cave, the effect is splendid, like a great entrance to a hall, all vaulted but it looked rather awesome as we entered ... the rocks were all pink, blue & green which had a beautiful effect under water. The sea is immensely deep inside' (19 August 1847).
Andrew Nicholl was a landscape painter and illustrator from Belfast who was appointed to teach landscape, scientific drawing and design at Colombo Academy in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) by the British Government in 1846. He was responsible for the illustrations which were reproduced as prints in Ceylon: an Account of the Island, physical, historical and topographical (1859) by Sir James Emmerson Tennent, civil secretary to the colonial government of Ceylon 1845-50. Queen Victoria acquired three views of Ceylon by him (see RCINs 921948, 921949 and 451106), as well as two Scottish subjects (including this one). Other versions of this composition are known, including one in the Ulster Museum, Belfast (inv.no. BELUM.U2383).Provenance
Acquired by Queen Victoria on 29 June 1868 for 12 guineas
-
Creator(s)
-
Medium and techniques
Pencil and watercolour
Measurements
48.4 x 36.1 cm (sight)
77.3 x 63.4 cm (frame, external)
Other number(s)
RL 21783