Picturesque America

BRYANT, William Cullen (Ed.). Picturesque America; or, the land we live in. A delineation by pen and pencil of the mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, water-falls, shores, canons, valleys, cities, and other picturesque features of our country. New York, D. Appelton and Company, 1872 & 1874.
Beautifully illustrated work on America which presents a full description and elaborate pictorial delineation of all the different portions of the United States, including Canada. The prints in this work are of exquisite quality, many are almost photographic. The purpose of the editor of this work, William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), has been 'to illustrate with greater fullness and artistic excellence than has hitherto been attempted, all the spots endeared to us by association, and, at the same time, to bring into public appreciation the many glorious scenes that lie in the by-ways of travel'. O.B. Bunce, T.B. Thorpe, Robert Carter, J.C Carter and G.M. Towle are amongst the many writers who contributed to this work.<I>Picturesque America</I> was a very popular book in its day, for it provided Americans with glimpses into the rustic beauty and history of the American landscape. It documents the nineteenth century national passion for an aesthetic view of American scenery. With its nine hundred wood engravings and marvellous steel engravings, it is considered to have had a lasting effect on both the growth of tourism and the historic preservation movement in the United States. After their publication in 1872 and 1874, the two volume gift set of <I>Picturesque America</I> quickly became a best seller and by 1880, the works were included in some 100,000 American home libraries. <I>Picturesque America</I> had a profound effect on its readers, who considered its contents to be uplifting, a means of self improvement, and essential to self-education. The visual appeal of its scenic reproductions delighted Americans with imagery of their country that they could have only imagined in the past. The works, many engraved after paintings by famous artists, offered views that were pleasing but not necessarily true to life. Motifs associated with the picturesque tradition, such as craggy and twisted glimpses of nature and humans and animals placed in a rugged landscape, were plentiful. Numerous cityscapes featuring city squares, parks, important architectural landmarks and national monuments were also documented in scenes depicting New York , Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, and Washington D.C., among others. In the words of its editor, William Cullen Bryant, "Picturesque America encompassed the entire country while affording a nearly endless variety of sites with superiority over visions of the Old World." This massive set is most remarkable for the steel engravings after the drawings of chief artist, Harry Fenn, which were made on the spot, and by artists such as Thomas Moran, R. Swain Gifford, Granville Perkins, Homer Martin, Alfred R. Waud, W.L. Sheppard, and James D. Smillie, sent by the publishers for the purpose. The superb plates were engraved by many very good artists, including Robert Hinshelwood, a Scots engraver who emigrated to America in 1835 where he established a considerable reputation for his work on landscapes. The sights presented range from Niagara Falls and Mount Desert Island, to Lake Superior and the coast of Florida, to Mount Hood and Yosemite Valley. Urban views include New Orleans, Buffalo, New York harbour, Cleveland, and Milwaukee, as well as the Gold Gate harbour before the bridge was erected.William Cullen Bryant was one of America's most talented poets, he also worked as a journalist in New York for over 30 years. He was born in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA. He studied at Williams College and later went on to study law which he practised for 10 years. At the tender age of 14 years, he had a volume of his poems published in Boston. In 1816 <I>Thanatopsis</I> was published and in 1824 several other small works of his. Bryant discontinued his work as a lawyer in 1825 to dedicate his time to literature and moved to New York City. He was associated with the <I>Evening Post</I> there and later became one of its proprietors. He became chief editor of the journal in 1836 but also worked on sketches, popular, elegant poems, tales and letters of travel through the West Indies, United States, and Europe. Our copy comes from the library of Sir Edward (Edwin) Tate, with his armorial bookplate and the family motto 'Thinck and thancke' pasted on the first flyleaves of each volume. The same dedication on the first blank in each volume is as follows: 'May Edward Tate. August 12, 1874. With the love and warmth and good wishes from Uncle William and Aunt Eliza and Cousins Mary, Agnes and Bertha.'
Fine set.- (Corners of magnificent binding sl. bumped).
Not in Howes
Engravings; 19th Century; America [Central]

2 vols. Folio. Original full brown publisher's roan over beveled boards, decorated in Art Nouveau style with gilt decorated title within blind tooled border on both front covers, spines raised in five compartments with gilt title, gilt and decorated inner dentelles, g.e., marbled endpapers. Vol. I: Full-page steel-engraved frontispiece, steel-engraved title, 22 full-page steel-engraved plates. Vol. II: Full-page steel-engraved frontispiece, steel-engraved title, 23 full-page steel-engraved plates. Numerous steel- and wood engraved illustrations in text. VIII, 568; VI, 576 pp.

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Picturesque America. Or, the Land we live in. A Delineation by Pen and Pencil of the Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Forests, Water-falls, Shores, Canons, Valleys, Cities, and other Picturesque Features of our Country. With Illustrations on Steel and Wood, by Eminent American Artists. Edited by William Cullen Bryant. 2 Bände. New York, D. Appleton and Company, (1872-1874).
Zweite Ausgabe. - Die sehr schönen, breitrandigen Tafeln zeigen u. a. Ansichten von Richmond, Neversink Highlands, New Orleans, Providence, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Louisville, Boston, St. Louis, Quebec, Milwaukee, Washington. - Sabin 62692.- In beiden Bänden kleine Wurmgänge im vorderen und hinteren Innengelenk, Ecken und Kanten etwas berieben und bestoßen, nur hin und wieder kleinere Stockflecken, im Rand papierbedingt gebräunt; im Ganzen ein gutes Exemplar.
2 volumes. New York, Appleton & Co. (1872-1874). VIII, 568 pp.; VI, 576 pp. Quarto. With 2 engraved frontispieces, 2 engraved title-pages, 45 engraved plates and many woodcut text illustrations. Contemp. full calf, richly decorated in gilt and blind-stamping. - Second edition. The good, wide-margined plates show views of Richmond, Neversink Highlands, New Orleans, Providence, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Louisville, Boston, St. Louis, Quebec, Milwaukee, Washington. - Sabin 62692. - Both volumes with some slight wear to the bindings, bookblocks slightly browned in the margin. A good copy on th whole.

VIII, 568 S.; VI, 576 S. Quarto. Mit 2 gestochenen Frontispizes, 2 gestochenen Titelblättern, 45 gestochenen Tafeln und zahlreichen xylographischen Abbildungen im Text. Lederbände der Zeit mit reicher Goldprägung, Steh- und Innenkantenvergoldung und Goldschnitt.

[SW: America; Amerika; Bryant; City Views; Nordamerika; North America; Prachtband; Stadtansichten; USA; Views]

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BRYANT, William Cullen (Hg.). Picturesque America; or, the Land we live in. A Picturesque America, or, The Land we live in : a delineation by pen and pencil of the mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, water-falls, shores, canons, valleys, cities, and other picturesque features of our country. With illustrations on steel and wood by eminent American artists. 2 Bde. New York, D. Appleton & Co. (1872 u. 1874).
Sabin 15, 95; Blanck, Bibliogr. of Amer. Literature I, 1732. EA. Prachtvolles, reich illustriertes Werk über Nordamerika und Canada. Herausgegeben von dem US-amerikanischer Schriftsteller, Rechtsanwalt und Journalisten William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), der lange Jahre als Chefredakteur der 'New York Evening Post' tätig war und dessen Gedichte, die vorwiegend Naturbeschreibungen mit ethischem Pathos sind, nachfolgenden Lyrikern als Vorbild dienten. Seine meditative u. deskriptive Naturlyrik der amerikanischen Landschaft, brachte ihm den Rang ein, der erste erfolgreiche nationale amerikanische Dichter zu sein. (vgl. dazu Wilpert, Lex. d. Weltlit. S. 247). - Mit Ansichten von New York, New Orleans, Sacramento, Boston, Detroit, Buffalo, Golden Gate etc. -

Folio. VI, 568 S. u. VIII, 576 S. Mit zus 2 gest. Tit., 47 Stahlst.illustr. auf Taf. sowie 885 (368 ganzseitige) Textabb. in Holzstich. Dekorative Lederbände d. Zt. auf 5 Bünden m. Tit. u. reichen Verz. in Goldpräg., umseit. Goldschnitt sowie marmor. Vorsatzpapieren. Einbde. an den Bünden, Kapitalen u. Kanten z. Tl. abgewetzt; Ecken bestoßen; papierbedingt durchgeh. gebräunt; Bd. 1 auf den ersten Bll. wasserrd.; Schmutztit. v. Bd. m. Quetschfalte; im Text vereinz. abgegriffen.

[SW: Kunst, Graphik, Stahlstich, Holzstich, Ansichtenwerk, Landeskunde, Geographie, Amerika, Nordamerika, Vereinigte Staaten]

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HILL, John (1770-1850, engraver) and Joshua H. SHAW (1776-1860, artist): Spirit Creek; near Augusta, Georgia,

Philadelphia: published by Thos. T. Ash, [1835]. Aquatint by Hill after Shaw, coloured by hand. Two tears (one into the image area), both repaired. Fine French washline mat. 13 x 16 1/4 inches. A rare example of a print from an extremely rare work that is now considered to be a 'milestone in American printmaking ... a foundation book for American color-plate publication, being the first publication in the United States of large colored landscapes essentially scenic in effect" (Koke). This fine image of Spirit Creek in Georgia is from a suite of twenty plates published under the general title 'Picturesque Views of American Scenery'. The original intention had been to publish 36 plates in six parts but the work was abandoned after only four parts had appeared (published primarily by Matthew Carey & Son). Thomas Ash acquired the rights to the set and republished them in 1835. Any examples from either edition are now rare. Joshua Shaw, a British-born landscape artist of note, was inspired by the magificence of the American landscape ("in no other quarter of the globe are the majesty and loveliness of nature more strikingly conspicuous than in America."). Shaw set out to popularise the picturesque in America. His beautiful images were skillfully interpreted by engraver John Hill and the results can rightly be said to have been one of elements which led to the growth of what became the Hudson River School of landscape painting. The popularity of the Hudson River School from the mid-1820s onwards, paid dividends for the Shaw's work as well and Thomas Ash was encouraged to reprint the series in 1835. Deak 315.9; cf. Fielding 644-662; cf. Howes S345; Koke, Checklist of John Hill 45 (2nd state); cf. Reese, American Color Plate Books 5; cf. Stauffer 1343; cf. Stokes III:567; cf. Sabin 79935

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