Lavra, with Thaos in the distance
About this artwork
Great Lavra is the largest and oldest monastery on Mount Athos, founded in 963. This atmospheric sketch shows the monastery harbour, dominated by a watch tower. The island of Thasos is visible on the horizon. Although Lear found the scenery of Mount Athos ‘stupendous’, he took a violent dislike to the monastic way of life. In an extravagant outburst he complained about ‘these miserable, mutton-hating, man-avoiding, misogynic, morose and merriment-marring, monotoning, many-mule-making, mocking, mournful, minced-fish & marmalade-masticating Monx’.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Edward Lear (1812 - 1888) English
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title:Lavra, with Thaos in the distance
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date created:1856
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materials:Pen and brown ink with watercolour over pencil
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measurements:14.60 x 22.22 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Accepted by H.M. Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the National Gallery of Scotland, 2003
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accession number:D 5551.13
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gallery:
Edward Lear
Edward Lear
Although now best known for his nonsense verse, Edward Lear was a superb draughtsman, a talented musician, an intrepid traveller and an outstanding landscape artist and travel writer. He was born in London and began to draw commercially at the age of sixteen. He developed a passion for travelling...