A wonderful set of prints, views, and maps bound at the end of the 18th century, comprising some of the output of George Vertue and the London Society of Antiquaries, especially as relates to London and Oxford. The volume opens with the preliminary leaves for Vertue's A Description of Nine Historical Prints but is, in essence, a unique assemblage of materials.
George Vertue (1684–1756) was an English engraver and antiquary, best known for his detailed engravings of works by other artists and for his written historical accounts of British art. He was born in London and apprenticed to a heraldic engraver, which laid the foundation for his interest in the history and heraldry that would feature prominently in his later work.
Vertue became a member of the Society of Antiquaries, an organization dedicated to the scholarly study of the past, particularly in relation to the arts, artifacts, and architecture of Britain. His role in the Society allowed him access to numerous private collections and historical sites, which he meticulously documented.
Throughout his career, Vertue compiled an extensive body of work that included engravings of portraits, historical scenes, and architectural views. His engravings were highly regarded for their precision and detail, making them valuable records of British art and architecture.
Perhaps Vertue's most significant contribution to art history is his notebooks, filled with biographical details about artists, descriptions of artworks, and notes on artistic techniques. These notebooks were posthumously published as "Vertue Note Books" (edited by The Walpole Society) and remain an invaluable resource for researchers studying the history of British art.
Vertue's legacy is that of a diligent recorder of the arts and architecture of his time, whose work has provided subsequent generations with a detailed visual and written record of British cultural heritage from the late 17th to the mid-18th century.
Contents
- George Vertue. [Letterpress title and text to A Description of Nine Historical Prints...] 1776
- George Vertue. Civitas Londinum Ano Dni M D L X. 1737 [Large bird's-eye view in eight separate-bound sheets.]
- George Vertue. The Inside Perspective View of the Under Chappel of St. Thomas within London Bridge from the West to the East End, the Foundation was laid in ye Reign of K. Hen. 2d. Ao. 1176... 1747
- George Vertue. A View of the West Front of the Chappel dedicated to St. Thomas on London Bridge; also the Inside View from West to East of the said Chappel as it was first built, Ano. 1209. 1748
- George Vertue. An Exact Surveigh of the Streets, Lanes, and Churches, Comprehend, Within the Ruins of the City of London... 1723 [In two sheets, trimmed at the bottom edge.]
- George Vertue. The Plan of St. Martin's Church before it was pull'd down Ao. 1730. 1744
- George Vertue. The South Prospect of St. Martin's Church in the Liberty of Westminster. 1744
- George Vertue. The west prospect of St. Martin's Church in the Fields, Westminster. 1744
- George Vertue. This Tessellated Pavement, discover'd at Stunsfield near Woodstock in Oxfordshire Villa at Stonesfield, Oxfordshire Ano. Dni. MDCCXII. circa 1741
- George Vertue. Loculi Conspectus anterior... [Detail from the front of Egyptian mummy case.] 1724
- (King Henry VII and his Queen Elizabeth of York.
(King Henry VIII and his Queen Jane Seymour. - Arthur, Henry, and Margaret, Three Children of Henry VII.
- Mary Queen of France, Sister of Henry VIII, and her second Husband Charles Brandon. [Lacking]
- Frances Duchess of Suffolk their Daughter and her second Husband Adrian Stock.
- Lady Jane Grey, her Daughter by her first Husband.
- Edward VI granting Bridewell to the City of London.
- The Cenotaph of Henry Lord Darnley, his Father, Mother, and Brother.
- The Battle of Carbery Hill.
- Queen Elizabeth's Procession to Hunsdon House.
- George Vertue and Robert van Voerst. Filius sic Magni est Jacobi, haec filia Magni Henrici, soboles dic mihi qualis erit? [Engraving of Charles I and Henrietta Maria as king and queen.]
- George Vertue. at Windsor. The Petty Cannons Houses in the form of a Fetterlock one of King Edw.d ye IVth's Royal Badges. 1775
- George Vertue. Lincoln's-Inn Chappel. 1751
- George Vertue, after John Fisher. A Survey & Ground Plot of the Royal Palace of White Hall with the Lodgings & Apartments belonging to their Majesties. 1747
- George Vertue. The Market-Cross at Chichester. 1749
- David Dalrymple. Ioannes Acutus Eques Britannicus Dux Aetatis Suae Cautissimus Et Rei Militaris Peritissimus Habitus Est Pauli Uccelli Opus 1436. 1771 [David was one of 15 siblings of the famed hydrographer Alexander Dalrymple.]
- George Simon Harcourt Nuneham. A View of the Ruins of the Chappel at Santon-Harcourt in the County of Oxford. 1785
- George Simon Harcourt Nuneham. A View of the Ruins of the Chappel at Santon-Harcourt in the County of Oxford. 1785
- George Simon Harcourt Nuneham. View of the Ruins of the Kitchen at Santon-Harcourt in the County of Oxford. 1785
- George Simon Harcourt Nuneham. A View Of the Ruins of the Kitchen, and part of the Offices at Santon-Harcourt in the County of Oxford... 1785