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Colonnade of basalt pillars on Staffa

Photograph
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
TitleColonnade 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
  • Size of card height: 8.3cm
  • Width: 17.3cm
Dimensions taken from departmental notes
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 createdMarch 17, 2009
Record URL
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