This depiction of Taymouth Castle, as seen from the south, combines a bird’s-eye view with a detailed depiction of the ground plan of the recently landscaped gardens. The estate belonged to the Campbells of Glenorchy (the Earls of Breadalbane). The artist was a friend of the celebrated architect William Adam who designed the gardens. The picture was updated in 1739 by another artist, John Griffier II, who repainted parts of it to reflect later alterations to the landscape.
John Griffier (English, about 1688 - 1750)
John Griffier came from a family of artists, all of whom were based in London and of Netherlandish origin. Griffier painted topographical and ideal landscapes and is said to have produced excellent copies after Claude.
James Norie (Scottish, 1711 - 1736)
James Norie and two of his sons, James and Robert, made their names as decorative landscape painters. Some of their works were commissioned as topographical records of specific locations but most of their paintings are imaginative, idealised views. These were strongly influenced by the classical landscapes of Claude Lorraine and Gaspard Dughet. Many were designed as elements in interior decorative schemes, sometimes painted in monochrome rather than full colour. Norie senior, originally from Morayshire, trained in Edinburgh with Thomas Warrender. In 1729, he became a founder member of the Edinburgh Academy of St Luke, the earliest art academy in the city.
