John Clerk of Eldin was the illustrator for James Hutton’s seminal book Theory of the Earth in which Hutton (1726-1797), regarded as the founder of modern geological thought, expounded radically different concepts of geological time than had been understood previously.
Clerk and Hutton had been friends since their days at Edinburgh University. Clerk’s artistic abilities were well known to Hutton, and so it is unsurprising that he asked Clerk for assistance in providing the illustrations for his book. In order to get first-hand knowledge of the selected sites, Clerk undertook several journeys with Hutton, travelling to Glen Tilt (1785), Galloway (1786), Jedburgh (1787) and Arran (1788).
The drawings that Clerk executed in these journeys around Scotland were intended specifically for the last volumes of Theory of the Earth. The first two parts were published in 1795 while last two volumes for which the drawings were intended were not ready for publication before Hutton’s death in 1797. For whatever reason Clerk’s drawings were never used and dropped out of sight until being rediscovered in 1968.
The drawings are surprisingly accurate in their technical detail, and beautifully executed in pencil, pen and various types of wash. They have a delicacy and clarity which is hardly seen in his picturesque drawings, understandable perhaps in that they were intended to be engraved. In tribute to Clerk’s work, seeing as “….. Mr Clerk’s pencil was ever at the command of his friend, and has certainly rendered him most essential service”, Hutton dedicated the first copy of Theory of the Earth “to Mr Clerk of Eldin, from his most affectionate friend and fellow traveler, Dr James Hutton”. (Quotes from John Playfair, ‘Biographical Account of the Late Dr. James Hutton. F.R.S. Edinburgh’, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Vol.5, no.iii, 1805, pp.39-99.)
To mark the rediscovery of the drawings a book James Hutton’s Theory of the Earth: The Lost Drawings was published by Scottish Academic Press in 1978, accompanied by a portfolio of carefully printed facsimiles which are of exact size and sensitively capture the colour of the original drawings. A limited quantity of these facsimiles are available for purchase singly, in groups or as the complete set of 27. A discount is offered for purchasing groups of five or more: 5 – 10 prints 10%; 10 – 20 prints 20% ; over 20 prints 30%. The complete set is priced at £300. The book itself is sold out. Prices exclude postage – packages will be sent by post at the most economic rate. Availability is on a first come first serve basis. Please be aware that the facsimiles are not available elsewhere.
Proceeds of the sales of these facsimiles go to the Penicuik House Preservation Trust, a charity supporting the preservation of the Old Penicuik House and other structures on the Penicuik House estate. The Old Penicuik House is considered a masterpiece of Scottish Palladian architecture, designed by Sir James Clerk, 3rd Baronet. The house was built between 1761 and 1769. It suffered a catastrophic fire in 1899 which left only its walls standing.
- NOTE
The three prints of the triptych of Salisbury Crags are NOT available separately. The three prints count as ONE purchase.
These are unframed facsimiles (reproductions) and not original prints.
If ordering the entire set, please note that unfortunately the original folder in which they were first published is not available.
