View of Holy Island Castle (w/c on paper)

The successful London artist John Varley visited Lindisfarne in Northumberland on several occasions, including a visit in 1810. It is uncertain whether this view was painted on the spot, or produced later in his studio from drawings. The picture is in the broad washes, rather subdued in colour, that Varley used in the first half of his career. The scene has many features characteristic of the Picturesque landscape style, which was popular at this time. These include the ruin silhouetted against the sky, the asymetrical composition, and the dramatic clouds.