The present work is a late example of the artist’s unique brand of English modernism. Painted by Piper on the Scottish coast of East Lothian in his eighties, it is a good example of his ability to capture the quintessential Britain in the form of both architecture and landscape, while simultaneously demonstrating his commitment to modernism and the abstract. The work, like many of his depictions of castles, is at once charming and monumental, romantic and brutal.

Tantallon Castle epitomises medieval architecture of the fourteenth century. Built atop of cliffs on the Firth of Forth, it was the seat of the Douglas Earls of Angus, one of the most powerful baronial families in Scotland. Tantallon served as a noble fortification for over three centuries, during which it endured three sieges – in 1491, 1528 and 1651. The last of these, by Oliver Cromwell’s army, caused such devastating destruction that the fortress was abandoned to wildlife.

In Piper’s depiction, the ruins of the mighty stronghold are dwarfed by the magnificent yet formidable landscape in which it stands opposite the imposing Bass Rock. The island of Bass Rock, a volcanic landmass, has a rich history itself – its oldest known proprietors were the Lauder of The Bass family to which, according to legend, the island is said to have been a gift from King Malcolm III of Scotland. In the early fifteenth century King James I imprisoned his political enemies on the Bass, including Walter Stewart. It was the settling place for an early Christian hermit and the small chapel above the castle was built around 1491. The Bass Rock also features in numerous works of fiction, including Robert Stevenson’s Catriona and The Lion is Rampant by contemporary Scottish novelist Ross Laidlaw.

The dark tones and dramatic use of colour seem to relate to the rather dark history of the location as much as its dramatic landscape.