William Leighton Leitch (1804-83)
Blair Castle dated 27 Sep 1844
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour | 24.5 x 35.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 919653
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A watercolour view of Blair Castle from the road to the farm, looking towards Tulach Hill and the mountain Schiehallion. Inscribed at bottom right: Blair Castle / Septr. 27 / 1844.
On their second visit to Scotland in September 1844, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed at Blair Castle in Perthshire, the seat of the Duke of Atholl.
This watercolour is one of a group painted by William Leighton Leitch, who was probably suggested by Charlotte Canning, his pupil and the Queen's lady in waiting, as a suitable artist to invite to paint views of the scenery. Leitch later became Victoria’s own watercolour tutor for almost twenty years.
This watercolour was originally mounted in View Album II. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert compiled nine View Albums during their marriage. These albums contained watercolours and drawings documenting their life together and were arranged in chronological order. The albums were dismantled in the early twentieth century and rebound in new volumes both in a different arrangement and with additional items, but a written record of their original contents and arrangement still exists.
Provenance
Commissioned by Queen Victoria for her View Album
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Creator(s)
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Medium and techniques
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour
Measurements
24.5 x 35.5 cm (whole object)
Other number(s)
RL 19653