BOYDELL, John (1719-1804)

A North View of Denbigh Castle in North Wales.

London: Published by John Boydell engraver at the Globe near Durham Yard in the Strand, 1750. Engraving. In excellent condition. Framed in a beautiful gold-leaf frame with a gold wash-line mount. Image size: 11 1/4 x 17 1/4 inches. Framed Size: 20 x 25 1/2 inches.

A handsome view of a fox hunt with Denbigh Castle in North Wales pictured in the background.

Towards the middle of the eighteenth century a trend developed amongst English artists and printmakers, which sought to visually record the natural beauties of England and Wales. Sparked by a sense of national confidence and patriotism, English printmakers began to publish topographical prints of the important sights in the British Isles. In addition to being a visual record of the countryside, they were meant to encourage public recognition of the beauty and history of England. They were aimed at English and foreign tourists who desired a memento of their travels, or at those vicarious tourists who collected topographical prints instead of traveling. John Boydell made a name for himself by joining this nationalistic trend and publishing a long series of topographical engravings. This fine view of Denbigh Castle in Northern Wales is one of the earliest examples of Boydell's work, when he was known more as an engraver than a publisher and printseller. John Boydell is one of the most influential figures in the history of English printmaking. He was not only an accomplished engraver, and an industrious publisher, but as a printseller he came to dominate the English print trade. He is best known as the originator of the Shakespeare Gallery, which made him one of the most successful print-sellers of his time.

Clayton, The English Print 1688-1802 p. 115-116 & 155.

Item #15074

Price: $850.00