WEATHERCOTE CAVE

     This engraving is from one of the drawings made by Turner for the series known among collectors as the “Richmond-shire”sketches, executed somewhere about 1820.  ‘Weathercote’ is one of numerous most picturesque caves in the group of York-shire mountains whereof Ingleborough and Whernside are the most important features: it stands almost at the extremity of Chapel-le-Dale, and is spoken of as the “gem” of the neighbourhood, and as an eminently worthy of a visit, having an attraction very unusual in such places - a magnificent cascade seventy-five feet in height. “This waterfall,” says an anonymous writer, “is such admired by artists, and has often employed their pencils. When the morning sun shines into the cave, it produces a vivid rainbow with the spray, which fills it. The water disappears in a fissure in the floor of the caves as it falls, and runs underground for about a mile. A huge block of stone, suspended between vertical cliffs, overhangs the fall, and adds greatly to the effect of the scene. The cave is of lozenge shape, and is divided into two by an arch of rock. The extreme length is sixty yards, and the breadth thirty yards. Its mouth is picturesquely shaded with trees.”

       A comparison of Turner’s picture with this description scarcely brings the two into harmony, but in all probability the painter made his sketch from a point that would give a different view to that referred to by the writer; moreover, Turner is known never to have been quite literal in his transcripts. However, there is here a glorious combination of trees, rocks, and water, resplendent with sunshine, and beautiful in the arrangement of light and shade. How graceful and feathery are the forms given to the trees, as their branches hand serpent-like over the foamy abyss, to which a tiny rainbow gives some rich tints of colour!

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, etchings, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, lithographs, ect. are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated in the auction, thus giving the buyer an idea of it's age.

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