Category: British

A set of four prints from around 1855 depicting the ascent of Mont-Blanc up in the Alps with at least one mountaineer about to slip into the abyss. Made by George Baxter and based on the sketches of John MacGregor a brave mountaineer who reached the summit. Collections of Harvard University. via the publicdomainreview.org.

“The Glacier du Tacconay.” ca. 1855. Print by George Baxter after a sketch by John MacGregor. Collections of Harvard University. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/mont-blanc-ascent
“Leaving the Grands Mulets.” ca. 1855. Print by George Baxter after a sketch by John MacGregor. Collections of Harvard University. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/mont-blanc-ascent
“The Mur de la Cote.” ca. 1855. Print by George Baxter after a sketch by John MacGregor. Collections of Harvard University. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/mont-blanc-ascent
“The Summit.” ca. 1855. Print by George Baxter after a sketch by John MacGregor. Collections of Harvard University. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/mont-blanc-ascent

Do up the sofa cushions so they match the wallpaper. Ideas taken from Christopher Dresser’s 1876 work “Studies in Design” which was published in London. A. Goater, lithographer.

“Ornament somewhat Indian in style; to stand on top of a dado-rail, falling upon a dark maroon wall.” Plate X. Image VIX 1876. British. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. Metropolitan New York Library Council, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/Studiesdesign00Dres/page/VIX/mode/2up
“Two plates for dadoes, or the walls of small lobbies.” Plate XII, Image XII. 1876. British. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. Metropolitan New York Library Council, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/Studiesdesign00Dres/page/XII/mode/2up
:”Ornament in the Arabian style, intended to be painted in the centre of a ceiling.” Plate XIII. Image XIII. ” 1876. British. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. Metropolitan New York Library Council, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/Studiesdesign00Dres/page/XIII/mode/2up

Ceramic majolica game-pie tureens with animals on the top. George Jones. Starting out as a Minton apprentice, George Jones started his own manufacturing around 1861. He died in 1873 with the firm continuing until the 1950s.

Two handled game-pie tureen with cover and pie-liner, the grass modelled cover with a partridge finial, the tureen frieze modelled in relief with rabbits, ferns, oak leaves, and acorns. ca. 1875. English. Ceramic majolicaware. George Jones, maker. Maker’s marks: impressed crescent mark; indistinct registration lozenge for December, 1873. Image © COPYRIGHT 2021 DREWEATTS 1759 LTD. Fair use license. via https://auctions.dreweatts.com/auctions/7972/drewea1-10253/lot-details/18b37a46-6d3f-42bc-b2a4-adb000f889d1
Two-handle game pie dish with liner. The game-pie dish modeled as a basket weave and featuring a goose, hares, birds, and fish amongst leaves with brown, green, and white being the predominant colors. Late 19th c. English. Ceramic majolicaware. George Jones, maker. Maker’s marks: bears the pattern number “3569”; English diamond registration mark for the date ?? (unreadable). Image © 2021 Chairish, Inc. Fair use license. via https://www.chairish.com/product/2873455/late-19th-century-george-jones-majolica-goose-fish-game-dish
Game-pie dish that features a fox and hunting paraphernalia. Turquoise ground variation with turquoise, green and brown being the predominant colors. Late 19th c. English. Ceramic majolicaware. George Jones, maker. Maker’s marks: bears the pattern number “2262.” Image © 2021 Chairish, Inc. Fair use license. via https://www.chairish.com/product/2904469/late-19th-century-george-jones-fox-game-pie-dish

Somewhere near Scotland just a little while ago. Genre scenes by artist Sir David Wilkie. Living from 1875 to 1841, he was Principal Painter in Ordinary to King William IV and Queen Victoria.

“The Letter of Introduction.” 1813. Scottish. Oil on panel. Collections of the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sir_David_Wilkie_-The_Letter_of_Introduction-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
“The Blind Fiddler.” 1806. Scottish. Collections of the Tate Galleries, London. Oil paint on mahogany. Cc0 License 3.0. via https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wilkie-the-blind-fiddler-n00099
“The Peep-o’-Day Boys’ Cabin, in the West of Ireland.” 1835-1836, exhibited in 1836. Scottish. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Tate Galleries, London. Cc0 License 3.0. via https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wilkie-the-peep-o-day-boys-cabin-in-the-west-of-ireland-n00332
“The First Ear-Ring.” 1834-1835, exhibited in 1835. Scottish. Oil on mahogany. Collections of the Tate Galleries, London. Cc0 License 3.0. via https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wilkie-the-first-ear-ring-n00328
Study for “Blind Man’s Buff”. 1811. Scottish. Oil on mahogany. Collections of the Tate Galleries, London. Cc0 License 3.0. via https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wilkie-study-for-blind-mans-buff-n00921

Fix up your home the Gothic Revival way before the Prince Regent comes for the weekend. Ideas from “Fragments on the theory and practice of landscape gardening: including some remarks on Grecian and Gothic architecture,” which was published in London in 1816 and was written by H. Repton with the help of his son J. Adey Repton. Collections of the University of Wisconsin.

“Luxury of Gardens.” Page 289. Published in London by J. Taylor on February 1, 1816. Collections of the University of Wisconsin. Image
© Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ARNROAEXKQQ7R38Y/pages/ARTXV3M5KE2V7R8F
“Park Keeper’s Lodge, Cobham.” Page 291, Collections of the University of Wisconsin. Image
© Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ARNROAEXKQQ7R38Y/pages/AMXKD4SDYKMZAD8M
“The School House at Longnor, Shropshire.” Page 293. Published in London by J. Taylor on February 1, 1816. Collections of the University of Wisconsin. Image
© Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ARNROAEXKQQ7R38Y/pages/AL2VWEKJZWD5RV83

The ancient world. Plates from “Collection Of Etruscan, Greek, And Roman Antiquities From The Cabinet Of The Honorable William. Hamilton His Britannic Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary At The Court Of Naples. – Naples.” Commissioned by Hamilton with text by Pierre Francois Hughes, baron d’Hancarville. Printed in Naples. Not sure who did the artwork. Probably Prince Hoare who is mentioned in connection with them by the Royal Academy but he is not on the title page.

“Vulcan presents arms to Thetis.” 1766-1767. British. Plate from “Collection Of Etruscan, Greek, And Roman Antiquities From The Cabinet Of The Honorable William Hamilton His Britannick Maiesty’s Envoy Extraordinary At The Court Of Naples.” Archival ID#17/4746. Etching with hand coloring. Commissioned by Hamilton with text written by Pierre-François Hugues, baron d’Hancarville. Collections of the Royal Academy, London. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London. Photographer: Prudence Cuming Associates. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/vulcan-presents-arms-to-thetis
“Bearded Dionysus, seated, and Pan, taken from an attic lekythos.” 1766-1767. British. Plate from “Collection Of Etruscan, Greek, And Roman Antiquities From The Cabinet Of The Honorable William Hamilton His Britannick Maiesty’s Envoy Extraordinary At The Court Of Naples.” Archival ID#052044. Etching with hand coloring. Commissioned by Hamilton with text written by Pierre-François Hugues, baron d’Hancarville. Collections of the Royal Academy, London. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London. Photographer: Prudence Cuming Associates. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/O52044 Credit line: (c) (c) Royal Academy of Arts /
“The Meidias Hydria: The rape of the daughter of Leucippus by the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, attic hydria.” 1766-1767. British. Plate from “Collection Of Etruscan, Greek, And Roman Antiquities From The Cabinet Of The Honorable William Hamilton His Britannick Maiesty’s Envoy Extraordinary At The Court Of Naples.” Archival ID#052046. Etching with hand coloring. Commissioned by Hamilton with text written by Pierre-François Hugues, baron d’Hancarville. Collections of the Royal Academy, London. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London. Photographer: Prudence Cuming Associates. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/the-meidias-hydria-the-rape-of-the-daughter-of-leucippus-by-the-dioscuri
“Woman’s head with cap, from a Campanian hydria.” 1766-1767. British. Plate from “Collection Of Etruscan, Greek, And Roman Antiquities From The Cabinet Of The Honorable William Hamilton His Britannick Maiesty’s Envoy Extraordinary At The Court Of Naples.” Archival ID#052042. Etching with hand coloring. Commissioned by Hamilton with text written by Pierre-François Hugues, baron d’Hancarville. Collections of the Royal Academy, London. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London. Photographer: Prudence Cuming Associates. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/colour-plate-of-womans-head-with-cap-from-a-campanian-hydria

Sir William Hamilton was the British ambassador to the court in Naples and collected vases which he thought were Etruscan but turned out to be Greek. At the time there was great interest in antiquity and many experts or sort of experts like the man who Hamilton got to write the text. Not like now with PhD programs and other credentials. Several volumes, dedicated to King George III. These are all in the collections of the Royal Academy in London.

Imagery of an India that isn’t coming back, taken from Thomas Daniell’s “Oriental Scenery. Twenty Four Views In Hindoostan” which came out between 1795 and 1807. Collections of the Royal Academy, London.

“The Baolee, at Ramnagur.” 1801. British. Hand-colored aquatint. Drawn by Thomas Daniell and engraved by him and his brother William. Image © Royal Academy of Arts, London. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/the-baolee-at-ramnagur
“View from the ruins of the fort of Currah, on the river Ganges.” 1801. British. Hand-colored aquatint. Drawn by Thomas Daniell and engraved by him and his brother William. Image © Royal Academy of Arts, London. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/view-from-the-ruins-of-the-fort-of-currah-on-the-river-ganges


“View of Mutura, on the river Jumna.” 1801. British. Hand-colored aquatint. Drawn by Thomas Daniell and engraved by him and his brother William. Image © Royal Academy of Arts, London. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/view-of-mutura-on-the-river-jumna

Images of the conservatory Carlton House, city home of the Prince Regent who liked everything jazzed up in a most expensive way.

“”The Conservatory, Carlton House” showing how it may look filled with plants. The conservatory was never built. ca. 1808. British. Pen and ink with watercolor over pencil. Humphrey Repton, maker (1752-1818). Image © Royal Collection Trust. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://www.rct.uk/collection/917090/the-conservatory-carlton-house
“A view of the interior of the conservatory at Carlton House.” Illustration which ran in the September 1, 1811 issue of Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, Volume 6, Number 33, facing page 167. British. Rudolph Ackermann, publisher. In the public domain due to age. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carlton_House,_Conservatory,_from_Ackermann%27s_Repository_of_Arts,_1811.jpg
“The interior of the Prince of Wales’ conservatory at Carlton House.” 1811. British. Print. Inscription: Lettered below image with title and “Thomas Hopper, architect/ Engraved Exclusively for La Belle Assemblee, Published by John Bell, Southampton St. Strand, London, September 1, 1811.” Collections of Tyntesfield, North Somerset. Image Tyntesfield © National Trust. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/22291.16
“The Exterior of the Prince of Wales’ conservatory at Carlton House,” view of a grand conservatory in the gardens of Carlton House surrounded by trees and shrubs. 1817. British. Inscription: Lettered below image with title and “Thomas Hopper, Architect / Engraved Exclusively for La Belle Assemblee, Published by John Bell, Southampton St. Strand, London, November 1. 1817”. Collections of the British Museum. Cc0 License 4.0. via https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/image/607638001

Decorate every room in your home in Gothic Revival with no faux pas. Go shopping with “Pugin’s Gothic furniture” put out by Augustus Pugin in 1830 and published by R. Ackermann in London. Pugin did work at the Palace of Westminster, too.

“Group of Gothic Furniture.” Frontispiece. 1830. Page 5. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/puginsgothicfurn00pugi_0/page/n5/mode/1up
“Decorations and Furniture of a Room.” Title page. 1830. Page 6. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/puginsgothicfurn00pugi_0/page/n6/mode/1up
“Horizontal Grand Piano Forte.” 1830. Page 10. Page 5. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/puginsgothicfurn00pugi_0/page/n10/mode/1up

More coming.

Birds from William Swainson’s “Zoological illustrations, or, Original figures and descriptions of new, rare, or interesting animals : selected chiefly from the classes of ornithology, entomology, and conchology, and arranged on the principles of Cuvier and other modern zoologists”, Published in London between 1820 and 1823.

“Carduelis cucullata: Hooded seed-eater”. Plate 7, page 54. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92614#page/54/mode/1up
“Merops urica: Javanese bee-eater”. Plate 8, page 60. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92614#page/60/mode/1up
“Platyrhynchus ceylonensis: Ceylonese flat-bill.” Plate 13, page 93. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92614#page/93/mode/1up
“Picus rubiginosus: Brown woodpecker.” Plate 14, page 96. Collections of the Smithsonian Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/92614#page/96/mode/1up