Hi,
A recurrent feature of 19th century watercolours (especially earlier in the
century) is that they tend to exaggerate the vertical scale of landscapes,
making ordinary hills look mountainous. Its possible that this is what has
happened here - the valley in the distance looks unnaturally deep and
narrow.
As far as the engine house is concerned, it looks at least superficially
'Cornish', though there may be some artist's licence with what I assume to
be boiler house arrangements in the right foreground - the ?flue arch looks
a bit odd and there's a gothic-looking arch behind which looks most dubious.
Ian - Is anything written on the picture - front or back - or is the
artist's name known? If the latter is the case, sending an email with this
image as an attachment to county record offices/local studies libraries in
the most likely areas may produce results.
Robert Waterhouse
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dr.
Sharron P. Schwartz
Sent: 20 October 2011 12:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Engine house identity
It would help considerably if we knew more about the provenance of the
painting - ie., what date, by whom etc.
This mine is unlikely to be in Mexico or Spain - the terrain is not redolent
of such areas that have, or had, engine houses, and I'd think it highly
unlikely to be Ireland too.
Sharron Schwartz
From: mining-history [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bernard
Moore [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 October 2011 12:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Engine house identity
Dear Peter,
Having a bit of time waiting for something, I throw this into the melting
pot and hope it might be of use,
What an interesting picture. The stack could be 'brick' of course, but the
house looks not. This being so, and the stone size being what it looks
like, and the colour showing, it could be a sandstone? Taking into
consideration artistic license, those 'hills' do look rather big and steep
for S.Wales,
and do not fit Flint, Denb. either. Definitely not Mid Wales, doesn't look
like anywhere gnrl. N.Wales, and highly unlikely Shrops.. Curious location
for a pumping house considering the terrain (though it could be a
winder), and/but a strange place for a reduction plant as well... and what
an
expensive position to get coal or wood to. In short, haven't a clue!!!
I don't know what others think, but the chance is it is overseas...
Mexico, Spain? - or possibly lot's of artistic license! The building is too
detailed to be imaginary though, so it must exist somewhere, and, assuming
that
it does (whatever now remains), someone somewhere will surely recognise it
since it is so substantial and prominent.
Regards, Bernard=
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