ITALIAN SCENERY. From Drawings Made in 1817

[Italy]; Batty Miss [Elizabeth Frances]

Published by London Rodwell and Martin 1820

About this Item

First Edition. With engraved title-page vignette, vignette at the finish, and sixty wonderfully detailed and delicate plates of splendid Italian views engraved by Charles Heath, Edward Finden, George Corbould and others. With descriptions written by a friend of the Publisher s . 4to, in contemporary fine full brown calf, the boards richly tooled in a herringbone-like pattern within ornate frame in blind, and with a triple-ruled gilt outer framework, the spine with elaborate floral gilt tooled compartments separated by wide raised band gilt tooled, and with a black morocco gilt lettered and ruled label, board edges gilt tooled, turn-ins ruled in gilt, marble endpapers and page edges. [vi], 197pp. A very attractive and fine copy of this scarce book. The plates are very clean and fresh with strong bold impressions, the text is very fresh too but sometimes with offsetting from the plates as is common, the impressive binding with some general wear and age but still sturdy, strong and attractive. FIRST EDITION AND A SCARCE AND ESPECIALLY HANDSOME COLLECTION OF ITALIAN VIEWS, WITH ENGRAVINGS BY FINDEN, HEATH AND OTHERS. The artists worked in pen, brush and sepia inks, creating originals so perfectly suited to the engravers art that one can only assume this is exactly what Miss Batty had in mind. She records here the journey she made with her father, a respected doctor and Fellow of the Linnean Society, throughout all of Italy in 1817. This was a 'golden age' for such tours as the defeat of Napoleon had just recently reopened the Continent to British travelers, and the welcome given to the British (and to their Sterling) was especially great. In spite of the undeniable quality of Miss Batty's work, this is the only book to feature any of her art, and is found only in this one edition. Her work made an impact in the world of porcelain and pottery, as Staffordshire potters Enoch Wood & Sons used several of these Italian Views on their blueware. Those popular dishes were exported to America, where they helped foster the Romantic ideal of Italian travel that is still so strongly followed by many today. Seller Inventory # 30105

Bibliographic Details

Title: ITALIAN SCENERY. From Drawings Made in 1817

Publisher: London Rodwell and Martin 1820

Binding: Hardcover

Edition: 1st Edition