View on the Slopes, Windsor Castle

Photograph of a view of Windsor Castle taken from the slopes with Brunswick Tower visible through the trees.

The Slopes provided highly picturesque material for the composition of images. This view shows Fenton’s concern for placing the buildings he photographed in their wider context. As seen here, it was not unusual for the context to become more prominent than the building, which can only just be seen through a gap in the trees.

This photograph is one of 31 prints Fenton made of Windsor Castle, the Home Park and Great Park in 1860. When selecting the subjects for these views, Fenton did not seek access to areas normally barred to the public. Instead, he understood his audience would prefer to see images relating to their own experiences of the castle. Therefore, all the photographs in this series emphasise the Castle's role as a public monument, rather than as a royal residence.