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Dinton Castle Near Aylesbury

Poster
1936 (printed and published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of series of posters commissioned by Shell Mex in the 1930s to promote tourism by motor car to places that were not popular tourist sites. Dinton Castle is a folly, built in 1769 by Sir John Vanhatten to house his collection of fossils, some of which are let into the random rubble walls. The plan is a hexagon with towers at two opposite corners, one for fireplaces and the other for a spiral staircase. Edward McKnight Kauffer was an influential designer, working for many British companies. Here the scene is presented theatrically, as if it were a painting on an easel, draped with a red curtain and with an artist’s palette propped against it.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Dinton Castle Near Aylesbury (assigned by artist)
  • To Visit Britain's Landmarks You Can Be Sure of Shell (series title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
To Visit Britain's Landmarks You Can Be Sure of Shell. 'Dinton Castle near Aylesbury [Buckinghamshire]'. Colour lithograph poster designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer. Issued by Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd., Great Britain, 1936.
Dimensions
  • Height: 72.1cm
  • Width: 99.1cm
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Summary
This is one of series of posters commissioned by Shell Mex in the 1930s to promote tourism by motor car to places that were not popular tourist sites. Dinton Castle is a folly, built in 1769 by Sir John Vanhatten to house his collection of fossils, some of which are let into the random rubble walls. The plan is a hexagon with towers at two opposite corners, one for fireplaces and the other for a spiral staircase. Edward McKnight Kauffer was an influential designer, working for many British companies. Here the scene is presented theatrically, as if it were a painting on an easel, draped with a red curtain and with an artist’s palette propped against it.
Collection
Accession number
E.1063-2004

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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