Edinburgh from the West

This view of Edinburgh appears to have been painted before the building of the New Town. The viewpoint towards the castle is from the Craigleith quarries in the north-west of the city, from where most of the stone for this astonishing urban development would come. At this time the city prospered and as a result the decorative arts were becoming increasingly important. James Norie senior, who was primarily a house-painter, painted a number of panelled rooms in the city. This picture, painted in a monochromatic colour scheme characteristic of the Norie family, was probably made to be inset in painted wooden panelling above a fireplace.