A scene from Horace Walpole's Gothic novel The castle of Otranto, with the vision of Alphonso looming large over the courtyard of the castle, the other characters in the foreground either bowing down or looking up in astonishment. The form of Alphonso, dressed in full armor, floats in front of a crumbling section of the castle. The moon occupies the cloud-filled sky above; an angelic figure is visible within a break in the clouds at the top of the image
Description:
Title devised by curator., Unsigned; artist not identified., Date of production supplied by curator., and Mounted opposite page 239 in an extra-illustrated copy of: Walpole, H. The castle of Otranto. Parma : Printed by Bodoni, for J. Edwards, London, MDCCXCI [1791].
Frederic in search of Hippolita enters her oratory only to recoil in horror at the sight of a specter wrapped in a hermit's cowl. The specter rests its hand on a book laid open on the altar above which hangs a crucifix. Behind them, two shelves built into the wall are filled with books and an ink well with two feather pens
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).
A scene from Horace Walpole's Gothic novel The castle of Otranto, with Manfred, Theodore, and several other characters in the foreground drawing back in fear from the vision appearing behind them, shielding themselves with their arms. This vision, apperaring within the ruins of a castle wall that has been toppled, includes the ghostly form of Alphonso, in full armor, surrounded by smoke and accompanied by a monk
Description:
Title devised by curator., Signed by the artist in lower right corner., Date of production based on artist's death date., Page reference written in ink below lower right corner of image: P. 239., and Bound in opposite page 239 in an extra-illustrated copy of: Walpole, H. The castle of Otranto. Parma : Printed by Bodoni, for J. Edwards, London, MDCCXCI [1791].