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Border Tower
Border Tower

Border Tower

Artist (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1806 - 1864)
Printer (Partick, Glasgow, Scotland, 1876 - 1953)
Mediumetching on paper
ClassificationsPrints
DimensionsOverall: Height: 10.3 cm, Width: 14.8 cm
AcquisitionPresented in 1914 by Miss I C Dyce.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG005998
About MeThis is an etching made from one of the five copper plates owned by the artist's daughter, Miss Isabella Dyce, who arranged to have them printed by Muirhead Bone (1876-1953) at the suggestion of Charles Aitken, Director of Tate Gallery, in 1914.

The building in the etching has a very distinctive feature - a ramp that circles around it, giving access to the top of the building to farm animals. It does not look British and if the title is correct, it cannot refer to the Scottish borders. The image is more likely to have been worked up from one of the many sketches that Dyce made whilst travelling through France, Switzerland and Italy on his way to and from Rome in 1832.

More About Me

Aberdeen-born William Dyce studied at Marischal College before embarking on his artistic career. He was later involved in the formation of public art education in Britain.