The Town of Tain

John Clark
Robert, (Snr or Jnr) Havell

Coloured aquatint

published 1828
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  • About the work
    Location
    Country: UK
    City: London
    Place: Government Art Collection

    This aquatint was added to a series of 35 Plates titled ‘Views in Scotland’ (1824-25), which were drawn ‘on the spot’ and engraved by the artist John Clark. Generally, two Plates from the series were published each month, although this 36th Plate was added to the series in 1828. In July 1824 an advertisement in the ‘Aberdeen Journal’ for the views of Peterhead and Falkirk announced that ‘those who order a complete set will be entitled to the Historical and Descriptive Account of the whole Series and of Scotland generally, now preparing for this Work, and to be delivered with the last Engraving.’

  • About the artist
    John Clark, watercolourist and aquatint engraver, specialised in topographical, sporting and marine views. He remains something of a mystery today as virtually nothing is known of his life. This may be partly the result of his not uncommon name. Clark toured Scotland during the summer of 1823, making sketches for his series of aquatint prints ‘Views in Scotland’ (published in parts in 1824-25, under the patronage of George IV). Other works apparently in the same hand and presumed to be by John Clark are alternately signed ‘J. Clark’ and ‘I. Clark’. To further complicate matters, Clark’s work has frequently been confused with that of John Heaviside Clark (c.1771-1863), an engraver and painter of landscapes and seascapes, born in Scotland.
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  • Details
    Title
    The Town of Tain
    Date
    published 1828
    Medium
    Coloured aquatint
    Dimensions
    height: 38.00 cm, width: 55.50 cm
    Acquisition
    Purchased from Sotheby's, 6 November 1957
    GAC number
    3948