In Horace Walpole's 1784 edition of Description of the villa, he describes the Beauclerk drawings thus: "The beauty and grace of the figures and of the children are inimitable; the expression of the passions most masterly, particularly in the devotion of the countess with the porter, of Benedict in the scene with Martin, and the tenderness, despair, and resolution of the countess in the last scene; in which is a new stroke of double passion in Edmund, whose right hand is clenched and ready to strike with anger, the left hand relents. In the scene of the children, some are evidently vulgar, the others children of rank; and the first child, that pretends to look down and does leer upwards, is charming. Only two scenes are represented in all the seven, and yet all are varied; and the ground in the first, by a very uncommon effect, evidently descends and rises again. These sublime drawings are the first histories she ever attempted, were all conceived and executed in a fortnight."
Description:
Title, date and artist name written by Horace Walpole on the verso, in ink., One of six Beauclerk drawings for Mysterious mother in The Lewis Walpole Library., and Lady Diana Beauclerk, English artist, 1734-1808.
A design for St. Hubert's Priory, a perspective with part plan showing piers of the tower. The steeple has been drawn on a separate piece of paper and mounted to the sheet with the main building, cut to line up with the roof line
Description:
Title from Horace Walpole's ms. note in ink on mount below drawing., Date from J. Harris., With a note in Horace Walpole's hand in ink below title: N.B. This was built, but pulled down after her death., With a watermark (partial) in center of sheet., and Formerly mounted on leaf 51 in an album assembled by Horace Walpole: Drawings and designs by Richd. Bentley ... [Strawberry Hill], [ca. 1760].
A design for the tomb of Galfridus Mann of Boughton Malherbe in Kent, brother of Sir Horace Mann, with elevation and details
Description:
Title from Horace Walpole's ms. note in ink on mount below drawing., Epitaph on tomb and notes below image are in Latin., Date from Horace Walpole correspondence with Sir Horace Mann 20 November 1757: "... that columbarium at Linton is to have a beautiful urn designed by Mr. Bentley as the whole is, with this plain, very true inscription, Galfredo Mann, amicissimo optimo, qui obit--H.W.P.", With a note in Horace Walpole's hand in ink bottom of image: Qui obit Dec 20. 1756 status sud 50 Horatius Walpole posuit., and Formerly mounted on leaf 50 in an album assembled by Horace Walpole: Drawings and designs by Richd. Bentley ... [Strawberry Hill], [circa 1760].
Subject (Geographic):
Kent (England)
Subject (Topic):
Buildings, structures, etc, Tombs & sepulchral monuments, and Urns
A drawing showing the interior of a Turkish bath with a woman in the pool in the foreground, another seated smoking a long pipe on cushions in an alcove, center back, and a black woman, clothed and standing on the right holding a stick and towel as she looks at the woman in the pool. Behind her is a figure in the process of tying a towel around her head
Description:
Title inscribed below design., Signed in lower left of design with Bentley's monogram: RB., With Horace Walpole's ms. note in ink on verso: A Turkish bath by Mr. Bentley., Date based on creation date of album., and Formerly mounted on leaf 24 in an album assembled by Horace Walpole: Drawings and designs by Richd. Bentley ... [Strawberry Hill], [ca. 1760].
Subject (Topic):
Baths, Turkish, Blacks, Interiors, Public baths, Pipes (Smoking), and Women
Mother and father depicted with three small children under a tree. The mother sews as the father plays with a small child. The older girl plays with a bucket in her lap, and the other small child slumbers in the foreground
Description:
Title supplied by cataloger., Signed on accompanied mat: DB., Lady Diana Beauclerk, English artist, 1734-1808., and For further information, consult library staff.
Wash drawing depicting a plainly dressed woman holding the hand of her small child while buying goods from a street vendor. The vendor is scooping goods from a large portage basket strapped to his horse and weighing the purchase in a two pan beam balance scale
Description:
Title devised by cataloger. and Drawing dated from Bruce Robertson's The art of Paul Sandby,1985, fig. 121.
Subject (Topic):
Baskets, Children, Mothers, Scales, and Street vendors
In the courtyard of the castle, the enormous ghost of Alfonso appears as Theodore, Manfred, and Friar Jerome look up in fear. Under the figure of the ghost two other figures lay prostrate on the ground, as the castle tumbles in ruins
Description:
Title devised by curator. and Date based on Horace Walpole's letter (dated 22 February 1796) to Bertie Greatheed's father in which he admires his son's four drawings that were inspired by his reading of The Castle of Otranto. All four drawings are bound in Horace Walpole's extra-illustrated copy of The Castle of Otranto (Lewis Walpole Library 49 3729).