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Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh

A. Kay

1813

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Romanticism Early 19th Century Castle

Dominant colour

Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh is a 1813 watercolor by A. Kay, a British Romanticism work, depicting Castle, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: A. Kay
When & what style?: 1813 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows an old stone castle with tall towers and crumbling walls. In front of it, there’s a smaller building with a sloped roof, surrounded by trees with green and brown leaves. The sky is pale and hazy, and the ground looks damp, with patches of grass and shadows. The artist used soft, watery colors to show the castle’s worn stones and the misty sky. The trees frame the castle like a natural border, making it look mysterious. Look up Romanticism to see how artists used emotion and nature in their work.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour of Craigmillar Castle near Edinburgh, signed and dated 1813 by A. Kay, depicts the historic fortress in its surrounding landscape.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

A. Kay

A. Kay spent evenings sketching the crumbling walls of Craigmillar Castle, a place where Mary, Queen of Scots once hid. He’d bring a pocketful of watercolours and work until the light turned blue, capturing every mossy…

See the richer artist page