Via Hoefnagel, a Wentworth puzzle, “Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch“, painted by Henry Raeburn, circa 1795; the original work is held by the National Galleries of Scotland. There were a bunch of themed, etched whimsies — mittens, steaming cup of something (I imagine chocolate), a wreath, skates, a skier ….
I had imagined this puzzle to be difficult, but I assembled the minister first, and then the bits around the whimsies and the minister, and then it was just handling the greys and the rosy browns. It came together relatively quickly and easily, and was a pleasant way to spend a hot morning in front of a fan.
My notes on the Hoefnagel site:
It looks like it will be challenging, with a limited color palette, but it was quite doable! The skater was easy to assemble, and the whimsies and their borders added additional chunks. The sky was a distinctive rosy brown, and the color shadings across the grey ice and the rosy brown sky let it all come together quickly. The whimsies were themed and fun. Enjoyable!
(Note: The box actually says that it was “made exclusively for de Young”, one of the art museums in San Francisco, and lists what may be a series at the top: “Botticelli to Braque: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland.” So was it made for the de Young? or for the National Galleries of Scotland? Or some kind of collaboration? A minor mystery!)
