John Varley, O.W.S. (1778-1842)

Varley painted an earlier version of the present watercolour from the same view-point during his 1803 tour of Yorkshire and Northumberland, which was in the L.G. Duke Collection (see I. Williams, Early English Watercolours, London, 1970, p. 225, pl. 360). This tour, in addition to his travels in North Wales, provided Varley with a great deal of material for his subsequent career. The soft grey palate used in this and the earlier version is reminiscent of Thomas Girtin, who influenced the young artist during this period when they were both attending the sketching evenings at Dr Thomas Monro's Academy.