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Scenographia Americana

Lot 39
25.05.2022 17:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 100 800
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 752781
Lot 39 | Scenographia Americana
Estimate value
$ 60 000 – 90 000
Scenographia AmericanaThomas Pownall, et al, 1768POWNALL, Thomas (1722-1805), et al. Scenographia Americana: or, A Collection of Views in North America and the West Indies … from Drawings taken on the Spot, by Several Officers of the British Navy and Army. London: John Bowles, 1768."No other publication precedes the Scenographia for its detailed and realistic collection of so many American scenes in the large folio format of these plates. It set a new standard for such depictions of North America, and remains one of the great rarities and most desirable works of the period" —Struggle for North AmericaThe first great collection of American views. “The Scenographia Americana is the first great compilation of views in North America and the Caribbean. It was conceived by Thomas Pownall, who had spent much time in the American colonies as an administrator and governor. Pownall was also a talented artist, and six of the plates are based upon drawings by him. It would seem that the Scenographia was not originally conceptualized as a single project, but rather as a series of plates relating to the military actions in Canada and the Caribbean, as well as scenes in the American colonies from Boston to Charleston. The earliest plates issued came out in 1762, but by the time Pownall returned to England in 1767, he had evidently come up with the idea of bringing the individual prints and fascicles together as a single set. He oversaw the production of added plates, and brought the set out as a single publication in 1768, with a titlepage and contents leaf” (Struggle for North America). Reese & Osborn identify three other series of prints in the same large folio format produced in London at around the same time (these are lots 33, 40 and 52 in the present sale). But the Scenographia Americana is by far the largest and most comprehensive. "These mezzotints were not intended to be colored, but were meant to achieve their effect through subtle contrast of light and shade" (Pictured to the Life). This is the first complete series to appear in the auction records of RBH or ABPC. Deák 106ff; ESTC N46756 (locating 4 copies); Howes S-140 ("d"); America Pictured to the Life 1 (fascicle issue, Pownall part only); Sabin 77467; Spendlove, p. 6ff; Stokes, vol I, pp. 281-95; Struggle for North America 74.Oblong broadsheet folio (445 x 595mm). Comprising letterpress title and contents leaves; and 28 mezzotint engravings, each captioned in English and French (very occasional pale foxmarks or marginal spotting, last several plates with some cleaned stains in top margins, a small spot in the waterfall of pl. 2, pale toning to pls. 1 & 12, pls. 8 & 12 with centerfolds and pl. 8 with centerfold reinforced on verso and with a repaired tear with small loss, pl. 7 with narrower side margins, pls. 9-10 with tiny repairs in sky, pl. 11 left edge tattered, pls. 15, 16 & 28 with repaired marginal tears, the tear in pl. 28 touching caption). Letterpress leaves and engravings all separately matted. Original early 19th-century half roan binding retained, with morocco gilt cover label, “Scenographia Americana” (dry and rubbed). Housed in two half morocco solander boxes.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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