S. Kelly's Castle on the Blackwater - Thomas Ryder

A 1779 engraving by Thomas Ryder after Paul Sandby, depicting the ruins of a castle on the River Blackwater within an ornate, allegorical frame.

This fine etching and engraving, published in 1779, depicts the ruins of a castle situated on the River Blackwater. The work is based on an original painting by Paul Sandby, a figure of great importance in the development of British topographical art. The composition is contained within an oval frame, a common stylistic choice for prints of this period, which often appeared in collections such as the Virtuoso's Museum or similar cabinet publications.

The central scene captures the castle ruins standing upon a rocky outcrop, surrounded by the calm waters of the river. A sailing vessel occupies the right foreground, its sails catching the light, while the distant hills provide a sense of scale and atmospheric depth. The engraving technique demonstrates the precision required for eighteenth-century printmaking, with fine lines used to define the texture of the stone, the ripples on the water, and the soft clouds in the sky.

What distinguishes this print is the elaborate decorative border. At the base of the oval, a classical figure of a woman with two children is positioned alongside a cornucopia of fish and shells, suggesting the bounty of the river. This allegorical inclusion reflects the period's interest in combining topographical accuracy with classical motifs. The title is inscribed on a flowing ribbon at the top of the frame, maintaining the balance of the overall design. The print serves as a record of the Irish landscape as it appeared to travellers and artists in the late eighteenth century, documenting both the physical geography and the aesthetic preferences of the era. The work remains a clear example of the collaborative process between the painter, who provided the initial vision, and the engraver, who translated that vision into a reproducible medium for a wider audience.