tour 17 of 18
Samuel Palmer
Samuel Palmer, Classical River Scene, watercolour and gouache on card
This representation of late evening is quiet
and meditative, even idyllic. The sun has already set, leaving a
purplish glow in the sky; the moon and the evening star can be seen
in the clear sky above. There is a sense of the chill of early
autumn in the colours. Dark-coloured birds, probably rooks, are
circling in the sky above the castle on the river, while a single
white bird flies across the
river.
In the foreground,
on a promontory overlooking the river, there is a shepherd and his
family. He pipes while leaning against a tree while his wife - in
deep blue costume - tends the baby who gestures in excitement at
the sight of the birds. Lower down, on the other bank of the river,
travellers are making their way along a narrow path in the
direction of the
castle.
The theme and
treatment are similar to some of the Milton subjects included in
this section of the tour, in particular A
Towered City and The
Lonely Tower. However there is no evidence in
this case of Palmer illustrating a particular
text.