NON-EXPORTABLE
THE RARE EDITION OF THIS FINELY-ILLUSTRATED ACCOUNT OF THE DANIELLS' VOYAGE TO CHINA AND INDIA
TITLE: A Picturesque Voyage to India; by the way of China
AUTHOR: Thomas Daniell, R.A. and William Daniell, A.R.A.
PUBLISHER: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme and William Daniell by Thomas Davison
PLACE: London
YEAR: 1810
BINDING: Half morocco with marbled boards, spine gilt, gilt edges
NO.OF PAGES: 106 including printed title page followed by two page introduction, 50 hand-coloured aquatint plates on linen guards drawn and engraved by Thomas and William Daniell, each with an accompanying page of text (watermarked "J Whatman 1808"), complete along with marbled pastedown.
SIZE:
Height:36.4 cm
Width: 26.5 cm
Depth: 4 cm
This collection of 50 Aquatints focuses on views of the Far East, by William Daniell and his uncle Thomas Daniell. The Daniells were considered masters of the Aquatint process, a printmaking techniquein which an artist makes engraving to a copper or zinc plate that holds ink. Before "A Picturesque Voyage" was released, William and Thomas had already created many scenes of India and the Orient, which became very popular. The Daniells were among the first westerners to print views of the area and they excelled at depicting exotic locales in the otherwise familiar trappings of the English landscape medium. After "A Picturesque Voyage", William produced "A Voyage Round Great Britain," - considered one of the classic works of English print collections of the period. Their work has been praised as "Having composed India into scenes at their most picturesque and idyllic in Twenty-Four Landscapes, Thomas Daniell executed twelve aquatints (all dated December, 1808) with scenes of India that were at once most alien and most singular." (Indian Renaissance: British Romantic Art and the Prospect of India).
In 1784, Thomas Daniell received permission from the East India Company to travelto India "to follow his profession of an engraver", accompanied by his nephew, William. They travelled aboard the Atlas bound for China and continued to Bengal in a smaller vessel, reaching India by early 1786. Their travels to and within India produced some of the finest illustrations seen by the public and their work was - and remains - greatly sought after. Picturesque Voyage... records their journey from England. Starting from Gravesend, via Beachy Head to Madeira (2 plates), the crossing the equator and then on via the Cape of Good Hope (2 plates) to the East Indies (10 plates) to China (23 plates) including Macao and Canton, then back via the Straits of Malacca (2 plates) to Bengal and Calcutta (5 plates).
The group of imagesof coastal China form a particularly valuable record of the area as it was beginning to open up to the West, and pictures of Bengal and Calcutta include one of the Daniell's most famous images: "Calcutta from the Garden Reach". It is also one of therare instances in which the image was re-worked to include new information gathered from a drawing made at a later date by another artist, for certain of the buildings shown were not in existence during the Daniells' time in India. The final plateshows the "Old Fort Gaut" which was to become notorious almost half a century later as the site of the "black hole of Calcutta."
This lot will be sold in "as is" condition.
There may be some minor tears/creases scratches, or holes commensurate with age that may not be visible in the images.
The books on sale in this auction are rare, out-of-print and otherwise collectible, dating from the 19th century on wards. The technology and material for printing and binding books has evolved over the last few centuries. From being the exclusive preserve of Clergy and Kings to an item of everyday application, the availability and use of books has also evolved over time. Books age over time and deterioration in a book's condition depends on many factors, including the original materials used and conditions of usage over time. Books will often show signs of foxing, fading, shelf-ware or dust jacket damage through usage. Prolonged storage may also cause wormhole damage or water stains.
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