Cassandra in the Temple of Minerva

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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level H , Case WS, Shelf 89, Box L

Artist/Maker	Westall, Richard R.A. (artist)
Place of origin	Britain (made)

Richard Westall divided opinion. He was elected an RA for his oil paintings but was more praised and criticised for his watercolours. Although this work is discoloured, the qualities some critics felt undermined the seriousness of Westall’s subject matter are still visible: a minuteness and delicacy of brushwork, more usually associated with miniature painting, and neat outlines showing Westall’s training as an engraver.

Object details

Category	Watercolours
Object type	Watercolour
Title	Cassandra in the Temple of Minerva (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques	Watercolour and bodycolour, with some graphite pencil and shell silver, on paper Watercolour (Paint) Bodycolour Watercolour Painting
Brief description	Richard Westall (1765-1836), Cassandra in the Temple of Minerva prophesying the death of Hector and the fall of Troy, 1797, watercolour
Physical description	Watercolour of Cassandra in the Temple of Minerva. Signed and dated.
Dimensions	Height: 42cm (Note: Taken from Lionel Lambourne, British Watercolours in the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980) Width: 58.4cm (Note: Taken from Lionel Lambourne, British Watercolours in the V&A, 1980) Gilt frame height: 680mm (Note: FRAME) Gilt frame width: 840cm (Note: FRAME)
Object history	Exhibited at the Royal Academy annual exhibition in 1797, no.422.
Subject depicted	Cassandra
Summary	Richard Westall divided opinion. He was elected an RA for his oil paintings but was more praised and criticised for his watercolours. Although this work is discoloured, the qualities some critics felt undermined the seriousness of Westall’s subject matter are still visible: a minuteness and delicacy of brushwork, more usually associated with miniature painting, and neat outlines showing Westall’s training as an engraver.
Collection	Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number	1060-1873

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Record created	July 1, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1108612/cassandra-in-the-temple-of-watercolour-westall-richard-ra/

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