{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O74270"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74270/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NE8241/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NE8241/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022NE8241","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LH4780","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP0865","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O74270/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O74270","accessionNumber":"FA.499","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"Thomas Girtin  (1775-1802) achieved much as an artist during his short life. Like so many painters of the ‘Romantic’ period, he often chose to depict ruined abbeys and castles. Here he draws the architecture of the abbey in an accurate but lively manner. The figure examining the building on the right introduces a human element.\r\n\r\nMonks of the Cistercian order founded the monastery of Rievaulx in the 12th century. The Cistercians chose isolated sites close to water to carry out their life of prayer and work. Rievaulx fell into ruin after Henry VIII (ruled 1509-1547) closed down the monasteries.","physicalDescription":"Watercolour of the exterior of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Girtin, Thomas","id":"A3172"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour and graphite pencil, with some bodycolour, on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2022NE8241","2018LH4780","2006AP0865"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"WS","id":"THES49603"},"free":"","case":"R","shelf":"90","box":"R"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1798","earliest":"1798-01-01","latest":"1798-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"42","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Taken from Lionel Lambourne, British Watercolours in the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"58.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Taken from Lionel Lambourne, British Watercolours in the V&A, 1980"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"680","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Gilt frame","note":"FRAME"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"840","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Gilt frame","note":"FRAME"}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental notes","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Probably exhibited at the Royal Academy annual exhibition in 1798, no. 493. A reviewer of the RA’s 1798 exhibition criticised the ‘wildness’ and ‘extreme slovenliness’ of this drawing. Although ‘drawn with considerable spirit and ability’, it lacked ‘that architectural truth which such scenes indispensably require’. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Thomas Girtin (1775-1802), Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire', 1798, watercolour","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"North Yorkshire","id":"x29446"},{"text":"Rievaulx Abbey","id":"x34485"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"landscape","id":"x35496"},{"text":"abbey","id":"AAT642"},{"text":"ruins","id":"AAT8057"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FA.499"],"accessionNumberNum":"499","accessionNumberPrefix":"FA","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-31","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-12","availableToBook":false}}