Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Artwork

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello

Edward Lear , 1846

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello, by Edward Lear, 1846
Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello, by Edward Lear, 1846

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello is a print by the Romanticist artist Edward Lear. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol.

Accession no.
2014.224
Credit line
Bequest of John Bonebrake

About this work

The artist focused on rough textures, every crack and shadow in the stone looks real.

This drawing shows a lone person sitting on top of a tall, jagged rock formation. Below, smaller boulders and patches of grass cover the ground. The sky is faint, blending into the distant hills.

The artist focused on rough textures, every crack and shadow in the stone looks real. This was made in 1846 as part of a travel book about Italy.

Check out Edward Lear for more quirky, detailed landscapes.

Overview

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello is a print by Edward Lear, created in 1846, showcasing his detailed draughtsmanship skills through a landscape depiction.

Subject & Meaning

The print features a solitary figure atop a rugged, jagged rock formation, set amidst smaller boulders, grassy patches, and a subtly rendered distant landscape, emphasizing the interaction between human presence and natural, weathered environments.

Technique & Style

Lear's attention to rough textures is evident in the meticulously detailed cracks and shadows on the stones, characteristic of his practice of refining field sketches into polished compositions for publication.

History & Provenance

Produced during Lear's European travels, this work was intended for a travel book on Italy, reflecting his role as a documentarian of European landscapes and architecture through art.

Context

Part of a broader body of work from Lear's excursions across Europe, this piece sits within his dual career as an artist and writer, known also for literary nonsense and limericks.

Olevano
Olevano, Edward Lear

Artist & collection

Portrait of Edward Lear

Artist

Edward Lear

Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised but which term…

MORE BY EDWARD LEAR

VISUALLY SIMILAR

Similarity 100 percent
This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

Reviews

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello?

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello was painted by Edward Lear in 1846.

Where can I see Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello?

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello?

Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello?

Museum-quality prints of Illustrated Excursion in Italy (vol. II): Ancient Walls, Monte Circello are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.