Tintern Abbey Seen by Moonlight, Peter van Lerberghe
Today I’ve been to the Ruin Lust exhibition at London’s Tate Gallery. It was a bit of an odd hotch-potch to be honest, and despite its theme, was sadly lacking in magic.
I was however rather taken with this early 19th Century watercolour by Peter van Lerberghe from the Tate’s own collection. Created at a time when exploring romantic ruins was all the rage, the painting captures a group of brave tourists discovering the Gothic delights of Tintern Abbey by torchlight.
Tintern Abbey seen by Moonlight, 1802 by Peter van Lerberghe
It all looks like great fun. I’d love to do it myself, although I might not be bold enough to teeter along the top of the ruins like some of these visitors. And to be honest, I don’t think Cadw, who now take care of the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey, would be very keen!
My search for magic 
May 5, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Oh…nice !
May 5, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Glad you like it too!
May 5, 2014 at 4:54 pm
I wish I’d made the time to see all the old ruined Border abbeys the one time I was traveling through there, but the only one I made it to was Jedburgh, in the daytime. Still a romantic sight, though not the equal of an atmospheric painting!
May 5, 2014 at 4:58 pm
Ah yes I spent quite a lot of my childhood in the Borders, and it is indeed full of magical ruins. You will need to come back some day and check them out!
May 5, 2014 at 8:44 pm
That’s such a great work of art. It’s not difficult to understand why the romantics were so into the picturesque.
May 5, 2014 at 8:55 pm
It certainly looks like fun here, very dramatic and atmospheric.