Denbigh Castle

The ruins of this thirteenth-century fortified house in North Wales seem austere in the empty landscape, and the blended greys of the fortress are similar to the stretching clouds. A deep picture plane emphasizes Denbigh’s surroundings, and the details of the archway and jagged outlines show the structure’s ruined state. Girtin’s extensive use of watercolor was established through his many sketching trips to Wales. The art form seems useful in terms of examining light and shade cast in shadows in front of the castle, while the series of pointed archways draws the viewer’s eye upward to the cloudy skies.