Window art, travel and photography (Blog #42)

 

Welcome to this week's blog, which this time includes a very brief history lesson, but if you'll bear with me you'll see the relevance to travel and photography.

The Window Tax was a property tax introduced in England in 1696 under the reign of King William III. The tax was imposed on the number of windows or openings in a house, effectively serving as a form of property tax that was based on the visible wealth of a homeowner. Initially, only properties with more than ten windows were taxed, but this threshold changed over time.

The tax was part of the government's efforts to raise revenue without directly taxing income or wealth, which were harder to assess at the time. 

The tax led to some unintended consequences. Homeowners, particularly those with many windows, sometimes bricked up their windows to avoid paying the tax. This is why in some older buildings in England you can still see bricked-up windows. The Window Tax reflected the economic and social conditions of the time. It was a regressive tax because it disproportionately affected the poor, who could not afford the additional burden and sometimes had to live in darker, less ventilated homes as a result of bricking up windows.

The window tax was deeply unpopular and was eventually repealed in 1851. It was replaced by a tax on house values instead.

One rather pleasant unintentionally consequence of the Window Tax are the Knaresborough town windows, which are works of art depicting people, events, and the history of the town. Sometimes the art is unashamedly playful. These artworks are painted wooden panels that lie over and replace the more prosiac appearance of the bricked up windows. They are all trompe l'oeil, which means they are intended to trick the eye.

Here are a few examples of the dozen or so pieces that are scattered around this very picturesque North Yorkshire market town.

In this first one we see Blind Jack (John Metcalf 1717 - 1810) reported to be the first professional road builder of the industrial revolution. An accomplished fiddler, we see him looking down on a boy who is leaning out of a window and possibly releasing balloons in Blind Jack's direction. The building in which these 'windows' are located is now the Blind Jack pub in the market place.

This next example is on the side of a building just off the High Street. As far as I am aware it doesn't relate to or depict any event, it is simply a bright and colourful way to dress up an otherwise dull wall.

My third example is again located just off the High Street, down a small lane leading to the Frazer Theatre. Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, and William Shakespeare are queuing to pay their entrance money to a woman who could be Marilyn Monroe.

This last example is not in the town centre, but down by the river near Low Bridge, on the side of The Half Moon pub. It is a wonderful example of trompe l'oeil, as the owl really looks as if it is flying out of the door. 

I have yet to discover all of Knaresborough's window artworks for myself, but the ones I have discovered have all captured my imagination. Finding the angles from which to photograph them is a challenge, as is trying to avoid tourists in the height of the season.

I believe that the paintings are removed during the winter months to save them from the ravages of the weather, and reinstalled when the temperature rises and the sun shines.

If you visit Knaresborough, and you really should, you'll be able to see and photograph some very unique pieces of art. Other towns and cities (I am thinking of Sacramento in particular where I spend a fair bit of time) have wall art, but nothing as unique, quirky, and peculiar as that in Knaresborough.

I hope you've found this blog informative. Please visit me on my other social media channels, especially my new Instagram account smart_phone_photographer_53 which has attracted over 1000 followers in less than two months.

© Mike Young 2024.