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Preparory study for The Great Viaduct on the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway – River Ayr – Braes of Ballochmyle

Artist: Hill, David Octavius, RSA · 1802-1870

Preparory study for The Great Viaduct on the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway – River Ayr – Braes of Ballochmyle

At the 1849 RSA Annual exhibition Hill exhibited (cat 149) “Amang the braes o’Ballochmyle” – study from nature for larger picture. The larger…

At the 1849 RSA Annual exhibition Hill exhibited (cat 149) “Amang the braes o’Ballochmyle” – study from nature for larger picture. The larger picture appeared in the same exhibition (cat 220) as The braes and bridge o’ Ballochmyle, painted for William Maxwell Alexander Esq, of Ballochmyle. Alexander had laid the final stone, with full Masonic honours, on 12 March 1848. This sketch however would appear to be a preparatory study for Hill’s later canvas, dated 1851, which was commissioned by the Railway’s chief engineer, James Miller C.E. of Leithen, a long standing friend and patron of Hill. This painting, which views the structure from the opposite side to that depicted in the earlier painting for Alexander, is in Glasgow Museums Collection (ref T.1967.28). It was exhibited at the 1851 RSA Annual Exhibition (cat.254) The Great Viaduct on the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway – River Ayr – Braes of Ballochmyle, painted for John Miller Esq, Millfield. The locality was also depicted by Hill as a plate for The Land of Burns, (Volume 1, facing page 35) published in 1840, fuly six years before the work on the Viaduct was commenced. Vide also 2009.025; 2014.221 and 2015.335 for other works featuring Ballochmyle.