Bird’s-eye View

This is a genre I like. Barmeath would lend itself well;  Number 56 less so.

The idea of commissioning a bird’s-eye portrait of a country house and its immediate surroundings started in the 15th century in a small way, becoming more popular in France in the 16th century and another century later moving to England.

These pictures were popular with owners of large houses and estates not readily accessible from London, so they were hung in town-houses to show off. Once railways and photography arrived the fashion died out only to be revived in the last fifty years. The first examples I saw, probably in Country Life, were by Jonathan Warrender.

“In 1980 Warrender began his series of bird’s-eye views of houses, estates and townscapes. Working on commission, he normally did about two a year only. He would make a series of long walks around the subject, would make notes and sketches of the lie of the land and would supplement this information with an owner’s perceptions of the property to be depicted. Having lived in Scotland from the age of 12 Warrender came to paint a number of properties in this area, including Innes House, Elgin; Dunphail House, Forres; Cawdor Castle, Nairn; and The Old Kirk, Altyre, Forres.” (Artists in Britain Since 1945, David Buckman)

Others adopting the same technique include Algernon Newton, Julian Barrow, James Hart Dyke, and Marcus May. I never expected to own one but last year I bought this print by Marcus May.

It depicts Eton College Chapel and in the background Windsor Castle. The lighting makes it look like a celestial city although not all OEs will remember it that way. One of the delights is looking closely and seeing fours on the river, cricketers on College Field, etc. Importantly Lord and Lady Waldegrave are in the Provost’s garden with their dog. The picture was commissioned as a present to the Waldegraves to mark his retirement as Provost.