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The Lonely Tower

Etching
1879 (made)
Artist/Maker
Samuel Palmer (artist)
Place of origin
Britain (made)

Etching of a night scene: two shepherds guarding sheep gaze at a tower standing high on a distant hill, which has a solitary lit window. Starlight and radiance from a crescent moon low on the horizon illuminate the landscape and its human and animal occupants.


Object details

Category
Prints
Object type
Etching
TitleThe Lonely Tower (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Etching print with white heightening on paper
Printing Ink
Paper
Opaque White Pigment
Etching
Brief description
Samuel Palmer. 'The Lonely Tower'. Two shepherds guarding sheep gaze at a tower standing high on a distant hill. England, 1879.
Physical description
Etching of a night scene: two shepherds guarding sheep gaze at a tower standing high on a distant hill, which has a solitary lit window. Starlight and radiance from a crescent moon low on the horizon illuminate the landscape and its human and animal occupants.
Dimensions
  • Plate height: 19.1cm
  • Plate width: 25.4cm
Taken from the dimensions given in the Victoria and Albert Museum Catalogue of the Prints, Drawings, Paintings & Photographs Collections and converted from inches to centimetres.
Style
Romantic
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Sam. Palmer' (Signed)
  • '3rd P. For touching Canvas only think of angle Private Press' (Inscribed in pencil)
  • 'Marden Ash Gilbert' (Inscribed on the back)
  • 'Third working proof, touched, with notes on margin by Saml. Palmer' (Inscribed on the mount)
Object history
From 'Il Penseroso' by John Milton. This etching was formerly in the collection of Sir Frank Short, R. A., P.R.E., R.I.
Production
Attribution note: Second state, touched proof.
Subjects depicted
Moon
Towers
Night Scenes
Shepherds
Sheep
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings, Etchings & Woodcuts by Samuel Palmer and other Disciples of William Blake October 20 - December 31, 1926. London : Published under the authority of the Board of Education, 1926. Publication No. 178 E.I.D.
  • Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings, Etchings & Woodcuts by Samuel Palmer and other Disciples of William Blake October 20 - December 31, 1926. London : Published under the authority of the Board of Education, 1926. Publication No. 178 E.I.D. pp.83-84.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1953 London: HMSO, 1963
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.457-1953

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1023398/the-lonely-tower-etching-samuel-palmer/
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