Henry Brocas the Elder
, Irish, 1766-1838
Title
Caernarvon Castle, WalesDate1847
MediumWatercolour on paper
Dimensions
40 x 56.3 cm
SignedOn verso: Henry Brocas Jany 1847
Credit LineTransferred, National Museum of Ireland, 1966
Object numberNGI.3977
DescriptionHenry Brocas was a self-taught artist. In 1800 he was appointed Master of the School of Landscape and Ornament by the Dublin Society, where he remained until 1837. During his tenure as Master, the School acquired many English watercolours by important contemporary artists such as Peter de Wint and John Varley. These were copied by students and formed an important addition to the School's teaching collection. This watercolour was likely to have been used as a teaching tool, since part of Brocas's duty as Master was to provide drawings for students to copy from. It is unknown whether he travelled to Wales. It is quite likely that this painting of a popular tourist haunt was copied from an engraving.