An intimate scene from Oliver Goldsmith’s The Deserted Village (30). One of Creswick’s many pleasing images of country-life as a domain of contentment and quietude. The emphasis is on harmonious unities: the architecture fuses with the canopies of the trees and human activity is subsumed within the workings of nature. Goldsmith’s sentimental version of rural life is well-served by Creswick’s idyllic treatment, an English heaven on earth. 2¼ x 4 inches. Wood-engraving, but unsigned. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.
Bibliography
Goldsmith, Oliver. The Deserted Village. London: Sampson Low, 1859.
Created 6 April 2021