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Watercolour painting of Dryburgh bridge discovered on the back of a 150-year-old geological map
Overview
A watercolour painting of the Dryburgh Suspension Bridge in the Scottish Borders has been found on the back of a geological field map after going unnoticed in archives for more than 150 years. The artwork was discovered by Luis Albornoz-Parra of the British Geological Survey while researching building stones at Dryburgh Abbey. It is believed to have been painted in the 1870s by geologist and palaeontologist Benjamin Peach during his fieldwork.
Key points
- A watercolour painting of the Dryburgh Suspension Bridge was found on the back of a 150-year-old geological map.
- Luis Albornoz-Parra of the British Geological Survey (BGS) discovered the artwork while researching Dryburgh Abbey's building stones.
- The painting is believed to have been created by renowned geologist and palaeontologist Benjamin Peach in the 1870s.
- The artwork is thought to depict the third bridge at the site, which was completed in 1872, approximately a year before the painting is believed to have been made.
- Benjamin Peach worked for the BGS from 1862 until 1905 and produced hundreds of sketches and paintings alongside his geological surveys.