Ruined Castle (w/c on paper)

This watercolour of a ruined castle by Michael 'Angelo' Rooker is typical of the views of Britain's ruined castles that were produced as a result of the picturesque movement. The castle's broken outlines would have appealed strongly to contemporary taste. Donkeys, with their shaggy manes, were considered to be much more picturesque than the more smooth-coated horses. Rooker was a book illustrator and scene painter, who made a series of picturesque tours of Britain from 1788. His nickname 'Angelo' after the great Renaissance painter and sculptor. Michaelangelo, is said to have been given to him by his teacher, Paul Sandby.