Thomas Walmsley
, Irish, 1763-1806
Title
Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, from outside the GatehouseDate1800
MediumGouache on paper
Dimensions
51 x 69 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1975
Object numberNGI.7765
DescriptionBorn in Dublin in 1763, Thomas Walmsley settled in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1790 and 1796. Carisbrooke Castle was an important coastal defence post, with its Norman motte and twelfth century stone keep. This view is one of a set of four depicting the Isle of Wight, all held in the National Gallery of Ireland's collection. It displays Walmsley's dramatic approach to landscape, reflecting his training in London as a theatrical scene-painter. He successfully blends topographical exactitude with a sense of mystery, expressed through the dense profusion of trees enveloping the hilltop castle. Rising smoke hints at the presence of the village of Carisbrooke below.