From 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.
From 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.
From 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.
From 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.
From 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.
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.
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).
Drawn frontispiece to Horace Walpole's novel The castle of Otranto, with the Gothic castle featured prominently at center, rising above a tall fortification wall. In the foreground are three mounted knights in full armor and two additional knights on foot leading them. On the far left outside the walls is a church; rolling hills and trees are seen in the distance
Alternative Title:
Castello di Otranto
Description:
Title devised by curator; alternative title from the print that was engraved after this drawing., Signed by the artist in ink in lower right corner., Date of production based on publication date of the book issued with a frontispiece engraved after this drawing., Original drawing for the frontispiece, engraved by Thomas Medland and entitled Castello di Otranto, that was issued with the 1795 edition in Italian of The castle of Otranto., and Inlaid opposite frontispiece in a copy of: Walpole, H. Il castello di Otranto. Londra : Presso, Molini, Polidor, Molini, ed I. Edwards, 1795.
At the door of the gallery (left) Diego falls back on Jaquez (left), both with frightened expressions at the sight of the giant's foot in the adjoining chamber (right). Behind them on the wall in the gallery hangs a portrait painting (Alfonso).
Description:
Title devised by cataloger., Formerly identified as "Manfred and Jaquez with foot of 'ghost'.", 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).