Brothers Henry, Charles and Thomas Richardson painted nearly 80 views of
Hadrian's Wall between 1838 and the 1880s. Most were created by Henry
Burdon Richardson, who accompanied author John Collingwood Bruce on his
tour of Hadrian's Wall in 1848. Only 17 were reproduced as engravings in
Bruce's books; very few have ever been published as paintings. They form
a valuable record of the Roman frontier as it was during an important
stage in its history, before the advent of the modern world. New
theories and interpretations were coming to light, as described in
Bruce's first book The Roman Wall, published in 1851. John Clayton, town
clerk of Newcastle upon Tyne, had begun buying land along the Wall,
aiming to preserve the remains, creating in effect an archaeological
park. The production of the Richardson paintings, Bruce's contribution
to Wall studies and the achievement of John Clayton in conserving the
Wall, are all explored, providing a fascinating background story. Over
70 of the Richardsons' paintings are published in the book, most with
Bruce's original description and a commentary by the author.
