David Roberts R.A. 1796-1864

Given to the artist's daughter Christine Bicknell on the occasion of her birthday in 1857, thence by descent from her husband Henry Bicknell to Robert Hannah in 1881;
Given by Robert Hannah to Ellen Selfe (grand-daughter of the artist) in 1895 and bequethed by her to Elspeth Fraser in 1929;
J. Douglas Hamilton Dickson of Appleby Brothers of London, 1951 and thence by descent to Mrs Betty Mills;
Private collection 

The present view was painted from the Water of Leith where moor-hens skitter along the shadowed waters and a pair of tartan-clad lasses make their way along the footpath in the evening light. Roberts appears to have used much artistic licence in his arrangement of Edinburgh's landmarks but the general view is from the east of the city with the castle as his central focus, bathed in subdued light as the shadows begin to lengthen across the landscape. Beyond the castle are Salisbury Craggs and Arthur's Seat whilst the city of Edinburgh is laid out before the castle, with the Scott Monument, the Dome of the Baptist Church and the columns of the National Monument on Carlton Hill prominent. There is a related watercolour, dated October 3 1845  in the National Gallery of Scotland painted from a little further upstream and including the Donaldson Hospital. This watercolour may have provided the basis for the present view and was certainly used to paint The Donaldson Hospital of 1851 (The Donaldson School for the Deaf, Edinburgh).

Roberts loved Edinburgh, writing in 1857 'Its dear old hill - even the Castle Rock - recalls the old times when I first tried my prentice hand on sketching, and although many sad changes have since taken place in the ancient town, the sight of it always brings with it reflections of many happy days.' (James Ballantine, The Life of David Roberts, R.A., 1866, p. 189) Another view of Edinburgh by Roberts, painted looking west from Carlton Hill was painted in 1863 and shows many of the same landmarks from the opposing view (Guildhall Art Gallery, London).