Artwork
The Enchanted Castle at Dusk
The Enchanted Castle at Dusk is a watercolor drawing by the Romanticist artist Samuel Palmer. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Enchanted Castle at Dusk, created circa 1868, is a watercolor and gouache drawing on wove paper, accented with gold, by Samuel Palmer, a key figure in British Romanticism.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a serene, dreamlike scene at dusk, featuring a small, glowing stone castle surrounded by lush, shadowy vegetation and framed by two dark, branching trees. The golden light emanating from the castle’s windows contrasts with the deep blue shadows, evoking a sense of magic and tranquility.
Technique & Style
Palmer employed layered thin watercolor washes to achieve depth and texture, subsequently adding touches of gold to enhance the castle’s luminosity and mystical aura, characteristic of his blend of poetic imagination and rural landscapes.
History & Provenance
Created around 1868 by Samuel Palmer, a Fellow of the Society of Painter-Etchers, the work is now part of the collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Palmer Hon.RE (Hon. Fellow of the Society of Painter-Etchers) (27 January 1805 – 24 May 1881) was a British landscape painter, etcher and printmaker. He was also a prolific writer. Palmer was a key figure in…
