Hazy ruins shimmer
in the summer's soft zephyr
on Linlithgow Lock.
Linlithgow Palace (by Joseph Turner)
On the south shore of Linlithgow Lock near Edinburgh stands a palace that has been both a Scottish royal residence and a military stronghold for hundreds of years.
However, Linlithgow Palace was destroyed by fire in 1746 when soldiers of the Duke of Cumberland's army, who were bivouacked in the palace, accidentally burned it down. Turner returned to the area to make sketches in 1802 which he later used for this painting, adding details of the palace partly from the ruins and from previous sketches. The palace still stands, surprisingly well intact structurally, as a ruin.
Joseph Turner sacrificed topographical accuracy in this painting for an ordered composition framed by trees, with women bathing in the foreground, a technique characteristic of the tradition of classical landscape painting.
The way this painting deals with light helped inspire Daguerre's later pioneering work in photography as he invented the daguerreotype process.
History of Linlithgow Palace
The present day palace was built in 1424 by James I of Scotland, following a devastating fire that burnt down the previous residence. With its location between Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle, it soon became a popular ‘pleasure palace’ for royals to visit on journeys between the two, with many of the Stewarts – or Stuarts – residing there throughout its history.
The Stewart queens enjoyed the peace and fresh air, and Linlithgow would serve as a nursery for many of the family’s royal infants, including James V who was born there in 1512, and Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542.
From 1603 Linlithgow Palace’s era as a royal pit stop began to deteriorate however, as the royal court moved to London under James VI when he left to claim the English throne as James I. The palace’s decline was only furthered when it was destroyed by a fire in 1745.
In 1501 James IV (1488-1513) cleared the ground of the abbey and built a palace for himself and his bride Margaret Tudor (sister of Henry the VIII). Further alterations were made by his successor James V (1513-1542).
Source: historyhit.com
Picture taken by me in The Walker Art Gallery.
The Walker Art Gallery
I recently visited the Walker Art Gallery with my girlfriend. During the three hours we spent there I took many pictures and wrote Haiku poems inspired by the art that had grabbed my attention.
Art galleries have a strange effect on me. I always find myself drawn into a meditative place by the quiet of the gallery and the impact of the art.
I am always this way in any gallery... names don't impress me. I could walk past a Picasso (although I do like Picasso) to sit and write in response to an unknown artist's work if it caught my eye and senses. I find it hard to explain, but it is like a force that draws me to certain paintings.
Although I was drawn to some of the world-famous works that the gallery holds, such as the Pre Raphelite, 'Echo and Narcissus' by John William Waterhouse, my eye was drawn to the painting Linlithgow Palace, pictured above.
This is the first collection I have published on hive of Ekphrastic Poems based solely on one location, The Walker Art Gallery.
I shall be publishing this collection with three to five posts per week for the next 2-3 weeks. I hope you enjoy this in-depth exploration of one of the UK's finest art galleries. I include all the previous posts in this series below for referance.
The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (The Ruins of Holyrood Chapel) - Art Appreciation and Haiku #1
Thanks for reading 🙂🌿
To read more about the aesthetics of true haiku, and the difference between haiku and senryu, please check out my post: Haiku Vs Senryu - The Aesthetics of Form
All images in this post are my own property, taken at The Walker Art Gallery, 2023.
Camera used - Samsung S7 Smartphone
If you have enjoyed this Haiku, please check out my homepage @raj808 for similar content.
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