Britannia Depicta; A Series Of Views (With brief Descriptions) Of The Most Interesting And Picturesque Objects In Great Britain, Engraved From Drawings By Messrs. Farington, Turner, Hearne, Smith, Alexander, &c. - By William Byrne, F.A.S. - The Counties Alphabetically Arranged; - Part I. Containing Twenty-four Views in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, And Buckinghamshire. -
RA Collection: Book
Record number
06/5085
Imprint
London:: Printed For T. Cadell And W. Davies, Strand. -, 1806.
Physical Description
[4], 24 p., frontis., [24] pl.; 285×370 mm. (Oblong folio.)
The frontispiece is signed as drawn by R. Smirke and engraved by J. Neagle. All other plates are signed, as drawn by T. Hearne (pl. [3] is signed as drawn by T. Hearne from an outline by H. Edridge), W. Alexander, W. Turner, Josh Earington [i.e. Joseph Farington] or Jno. Smith, and as engraved by W. Byrne (pl. 16 as engraved by W. Byrne and James Sparrow).
Each plate (including the frontispiece) carries the publishers' imprint of W. Byrne, T. Cadell and W. Davies, and the date.
The printer is named on the title-page verso and in the colophon: 'Printed by G. Sidney, Northumberland Street, Strand.'
References
D. Morris, Thomas Hearne and his landscape (1989). A study of Cadell and Davies was T. Besterman, The publishing firm of Cadell & Davies: select correspondence and accounts 1793-1836 (1938).
Summary Note
Publication-dates are carried by all plates - of 1 Jan 1803, 1 Nov 1803 or 1 Jan 1805.
The frontispiece shows a figure of Britannia seated and attended by two lions and four figures. The plates are captioned views.
The Advertisement states that 'The Twenty-four Views contained in this First Part will serve to illustrate the First Volume (published at the same Time) of a new Work, entitled Magna Britannia; or, a concise Topographical Account of the several Counties of Great Britain, by the Rev. Daniel Lysons ... and Samuel Lysons ...', and lists the numbered pages next to which the plates should be bound in that work. It adds that 'The second and subsequent Parts of Britannia Depicta will be published regularly at the same periods as the continuation of the Magna Britannia ...'.
Binding Note
Contemporary buff papered boards, upper cover carrying white paper printed label lettered 'Britannia Depicta: Part I. - Bedfordshire, Berkshire, And Buckinghamshire.'
Subject
Landscapes (environments) - Architecture - Great Britain - Bedfordshire - Berkshire - Buckinghamshire - History
Drawings - Landscapes (representations) - Great Britain - 19th century - Picturesque, the
Views - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century