| Title: | Main top, Valparaiso |
| Contributors: | Cambridge University Library |
| Issue Date: | 14-Jun-2007 |
| Abstract: | A streetscape with buildings drawn in detail, and some indication of local activities. |
| Description: | Drawing. [36v top right -- 37r top left] "The Southern part of the Town Valparaiso, southern part is divided by two principal Ravines into three districts to which sailors have given the names of Fore Top, Main Top and Mizzen Top." [36v mid right] "vide SS [illeg] Recent exploring Expeditions / Page 60./" "RF" FitzRoy [bottom right corner] The picture is confined to 37r. The sky is blank. On the left the horizon consists of the rather faint outline of a couple of rounded hills, below which other similar slightly closer slopes are shown, with some indistinct indication of either natural vegetation or habitation on the ridge-line. On the right the horizon consists of uneven elevated land with a row of mainly single-storey buildings on top. These are quite faintly outlined, though windows and doors are discernible. This land continues into the centre midground, becoming a rocky outcrop or mound with some indication of scrub vegetation on its steeper slopes. On top of this mound there is a cluster of mainly single-storey buildings, shown in some detail, probably constructed of timber with tiled roofs, with an indication of fencing in the centre and to the left. Two human figures appear on the slope below the right-hand end of the cluster of buildings. Below, the rocky mound descends across almost the whole picture towards the foreground. Here, across the whole picture, a row of single-storey buildings runs diagonally towards the viewer from left to right, with a row of other similar but less detailed buildings behind from the centre to the right. The ground rises abruptly at the right-hand edge of the picture; at the left-hand edge, the end of a closer building can be seen. From the left to the centre of the foreground, a jumble of objects occupies the even ground in front of the row of buildings. These objects resemble cannon barrels, or may be tree trunks being prepared for use as main masts or timber uprights for buildings. There is an indication of two adults either side of a child walking away from the viewer to the right of this jumble. The centre to right of the foreground continues the slightly uneven level ground. The main row of buildings consists of six single-storey structures. The leftmost three of these are mostly obscured to upper wall level by the jumble of objects; there is a separate low pile of logs in front of the fourth and fifth buildings from the left. The roofs are pitched and tiled, that of building 4 being of a slightly lower pitch. This building has a plain (thus possibly rendered) front wall, with openings forming a sequence of window--door--window--door--window. This frontage is continuous with that of building 5, which has a plain front wall with a door, above the left-hand corner of which a superficial crack in the rendering can be seen, and a roof which rises further than that of building 4 to an extension at right-angles back from the street. Thus the side of building 5 is partly visible, with a window indicated at the left-hand end of the extension. There is a low washing line with three items hanging on it at the front corner of building, to the right of which and of a window, a plant is growing. Some fencing partly obscures the facade of building 6 below its left-hand window. To the right of this are a door and small window, and either a further thin door or a substantial timber upright. At the right-hand corner of building 6, a small thin-trunked tree rises to gutter-level, and a few logs are piled at the foot of the right-hand corner, partly obscuring a doorway on the right-facing facade. There is a washing line to the right of the door, with five items hanging on it. |
| URI: | http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/194425 |
| Appears in Collections: | Conrad Martens' Sketchbooks I and III |
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