The Ruins of Cymer Abbey on the Mawddach River

This image stands apart from the rest of the Smith watercolors, which depict open landscapes in daylight, instead showing the ruins of an abbey at dusk. Although the background depicts mountains in atmospheric perspective, there is very little depth to the image compared to Smith’s other landscapes, creating a sense of intimacy. His use of soft blues brings a certain quietude to the scene that underscores the tranquility of the ruins in the foreground.