Views Taken On and Near the River Rhine,

£19,500 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

A lovely set of views which is 'one of the earliest illustrated books on the Rhine district'. Reverend John Gardnor (1729-1808) was one of the first amateur artists to experiment with aquatints, and used the technique to good effect in this work. In 1787 he journeyed along the Rhine with his nephew Richard and put his talents to work sketching and painting the landscape. As well as the river itself the plates depict Bingen, Bacharach, Rheinfels Castle, Sankt Goar, Ehrenbreitstein, Aachen and Huy. The list of subscribers lists 86 names for coloured, 'proofs' and 'prints' sets. First edition; folio (64 x 53 cm); 32 hand-coloured aquatint plates, engraved title, some very light marginal spotting, otherwise plates clean; contemporary full red morocco panelled with marbled boards rebacked with original spine laid down, gilt tooled boards, spine lettered in gilt in eight compartments, gilt rolled board edges and turn-ins, boards slightly rubbed, a very good copy; 70, [1]pp. Abbey (Travel), 213; Cox p158; Schmitt 77.

• Binding: Hardcover

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