About this artwork

Roberts has created here a spectacular, panoramic view of Edinburgh. Highlights stand out clearly on the blue-green paper, drawing attention to the most interesting landmarks catching the sun. These include the Royal Institution (now the Royal Scottish Academy Building) on the Mound. The drawing was probably made in 1846 when Roberts returned to Edinburgh on a sketching tour. It is an interesting record of the site just four years before the foundation of the National Gallery of Scotland in 1850.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    David Roberts (1796 - 1864) Scottish
  • title:
    View of Edinburgh from the Ramparts of the Castle, Looking East
  • date created:
    About 1846
  • materials:
    Watercolour with gum arabic over pencil, heightened with white bodycolour on two sheets of blue-green paper, joined together, faintly squared in pencil
  • measurements:
    28.5 x 80.0 cm (Framed: 76.10 x 96.20 x 2.70 cm)
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Purchased 2000
  • accession number:
    D 5508
  • gallery:
  • subject:
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David Roberts

David Roberts