User:Hygga/sandbox

Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840) was a Scottish artist. He studied at the Royal High School and was a pupil of Alexander Runciman (1736-1785), assistant to Allan Ramsay (1713-1784). Nasmyth was an accomplished engineer and teacher, home schooling his own children. His particular genre of art was landscape, where two examples can be found at the National Trust for Scotland, Culzean Castle, Maybole, Ayrshire.

Commissioned by the Kennedy family, Nasmyth produced two scenes of Culzean Castle, which were originally produced to be hung in the family's London residence. 'Culzean Castle from the Sea', painted c.1816, Oil on canvas, 148 x 217 cm (Accession No. 45.52), depicts Culzean Castle perched on the clifftop. In this painting there appears to be a second, smaller, castle to the left of Culzean Castle, which is in fact Holm Farm, now the current Visitors Centre. The painting has an exaggerated height to the existing 150 foot cliff drop, which appears to add to the dramatic, romantic visual effect of this image.

The second painting entitled, 'Culzean Castle from the North with Ailsa Craig', painted c. 1816, Oil on canvas, 147.3 x 216.5 cm, (Accession No. 45.53) shows Culzean Castle from the North with Ailsa Craig painted alongside the Castle. This is thought to have been added by the artist at a later date as Ailsa Craig (volcanic plug, known for providing granite used in the production of curling stones) can only be seen from the West. Image shows a group of 3 male figures on the beach, thought to have been smugglers involved in the illegal sale of liquor, silks and tobacco, which was at this time a lucrativce trade given the network of caves under Culzean Castle and in the surrounding cliffs. Local history indicates Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassillis, to have been active in this illegal trade however, this is unconfirmed.

Both paintings hang in the Green Drawing Room (or Picture Hall, as orginally indicated in Robert Adam's plans) and can be viewed during the open season. Further details can be found in the National Trust for Scotland website.