View of the city in Edinburgh - Alexander Nasmyth

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Each morning I spend a few minutes searching the internet for an old painting or similar that I think looks cool (professional I know). Today it was this painting of the “Athens of the North”:

(View the full sized image here)

I then give identifying info about the work to Perplexity with the instructions to research it and tell me all the interesting things it can about said work. today it gave me this:

"View of the City of Edinburgh": A Glimpse into Scotland's Athens of the North

Alexander Nasmyth’s grand landscape View of the City of Edinburgh (c. 1822) presents a sweeping panorama of Scotland’s capital. Seen from the west, the city unfolds like a vision—its castle towering over volcanic rock, church spires reaching skyward, and the old and new towns stretching toward distant hills, all illuminated in warm, golden light.

A Canvas That Tells a Story

In the foreground, a solitary figure stands beneath a stately tree, gazing at the city’s skyline. Rolling countryside slopes gently toward the urban landscape, creating a seamless transition between nature and civilization. The composition unites three defining elements of Scottish landscape painting: distant hills, reflective waters, and the castle dominating the scene. A small classical structure peeks through the trees, adding a refined touch to the view.

What makes this painting exceptional is not just its technical skill but the narrative it conveys—a city poised between its medieval roots and an enlightened future, between the natural world and human progress.

More Than Just a View

This is more than a landscape—it’s a statement. In Nasmyth’s era, Edinburgh was undergoing a cultural revival, earning the title "Athens of the North." The painting reinforces this idea through its careful composition.

During the early 19th century, as Greece’s independence movement gained momentum, Western artists revisited images of Athens—a city on a hill, surrounded by open fields. Nasmyth draws on this visual tradition, positioning Edinburgh as Scotland’s intellectual and artistic heart, much like ancient Athens.

The painting operates on two levels: as an accurate portrayal of the city and as a symbol of its cultural and philosophical significance. It doesn’t just depict Edinburgh—it embodies its role as a center of thought, progress, and democratic ideals.

A Masterwork of the Picturesque

Nasmyth’s style reflects the 19th-century British picturesque tradition. His use of a low vantage point heightens the city’s grandeur, while the tree on the left frames the scene with classical balance.

The painting also draws from both Rousseau’s ideas about humanity’s connection to nature and the neoclassical architectural revival sweeping Europe. This dual influence mirrors Edinburgh itself—a city where Enlightenment thinking thrived amidst medieval structures.

Today, the painting is housed at the Yale Center for British Art, where visitors can see its beauty and historical depth up close.

The Man Behind the Canvas

Alexander Nasmyth was more than a landscape painter. Born in Edinburgh on September 9, 1758, he was a thinker, a reformer, and a man fascinated by science and progress—sometimes even described as utopian.

He trained in Edinburgh under Alexander Runciman before moving to London to work with portraitist Allan Ramsay. Though he began his career painting portraits, he later turned to landscape, becoming Scotland’s leading artist in the genre.

A trip to Italy from 1782 to 1784, funded by inventor Patrick Miller, broadened his artistic vision, though he remained based in Edinburgh for most of his life. While known as Scotland’s first great landscape painter, he was also the first to depict urban life with such depth and sensitivity.

His legacy extends beyond his art. His son became a pioneering engineer who invented the steam hammer, blending artistry with industrial innovation—just as Nasmyth himself merged classical inspiration with Scotland’s evolving reality.

And that's it!

If you have any details you think Perplexity left out, reply to this email and I'll adjust my prompt to nudge it to include it next time.

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Thanks for reading!

-JP

Current prompt: I want you to create a newsletter post describing the fun and exciting stories around a painting. It should be a newsletter read for leisure and should be an enjoyable read (not just a list of facts) here's what you’re gonna do: Find the name of the following painting in its original language and any alternative names it goes by. Then Research the painting and give me blurb telling me all you can about the artist, the historical context/events it was created in, the style, the materials used, the composition and visual elements, the story/underlying message, what inspired the work/what it meant to the author, and whatever other info you find that helps give a complete understanding of the work. A description of what is depicted (mention subjects) should be the first thing, while the “biography” of the artist should be last. Besides that you are free to present the information in a concise and captivating way, with the most interesting and novel stuff closest to the top. Order the presentation of information for which pieces have the most compelling and interesting story to tell. At least some of the description should be formatted like a story. [fore example: a couple sits on a bench watching the sunset while a man next to them…]. ONLY include information that is for THIS SPECIFIC PAINTING. you will find info on paintings similar to this one but NOT this one. OMMIT INFO ABOUT SUCH PIECES.