Colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa
Photograph
ca. 1859 (photographed)
ca. 1859 (photographed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Stereoscopic albumen print colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland. Inscribed in ink on the back with title and photographer's name.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Stereoscopic photograph, albumen print |
Brief description | Stereoscopic albumen print depicting a colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland, photographed by Lennie of Edinburgh, ca. 1859. |
Physical description | Stereoscopic albumen print colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland. Inscribed in ink on the back with title and photographer's name. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | Lennie - Edinburgh (Inscribed in ink on the back) |
Subjects depicted | |
Places depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | Staffa (Scottish Gaelic: Stafa, from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs.
Staffa lies about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of the Isle of Mull. The area is 33 hectares (0.13 sq mi) and the highest point is 42 metres (138 ft) above sea level.
The island came to prominence in the late 18th century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general and of the island's main sea cavern which Banks renamed 'Fingal's Cave'. Their visit was followed by that of many other prominent personalities throughout the next two centuries, including Queen Victoria and Felix Mendelssohn. The latter's Hebrides Overture brought further fame to the island, which was by then uninhabited. It is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.1430-1992 |
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Record created | March 17, 2009 |
Record URL |
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