The Castlegate Aberdeen - Last Appearance of Wombwell's Menagerie
Artist
George Russell Gowans
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1843 - 1924)
Mediumwatercolour on paper
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsSight Size: Height: 23.1 cm, Width: 30.9 cm
Frame: Height: 39.5 cm, Width: 47 cm
Frame: Height: 39.5 cm, Width: 47 cm
AcquisitionBequeathed in 1944 by James Pyper.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG002457
About MeGowans was a landscape artist, who spent most of his life in Aberdeen and was a foundation member of the Aberdeen Artists Society. His powerful watercolours of upper Deeside with broad skies and expansive views have more interest in mood than detail, but in this townscape of The Castlegate, his romantic leanings are foregone in favour of a documentary approach. The occasion is the final appearance of 'Wombell's Travelling Menagerie', a side show of exotic animals that travelled throughout the British Isles until 1880. By 1839 the menagerie was so large as to need 15 wagons for transportation and included two elephants, zebras, six lions, panthers, leopards and three tigers.
Osborne Henry Mavor
William Williams
