Antique 1840 W.H. Bartlett Engraving/Etching Print - 'Village of Cedars, River St. Lawrence'

William Henry Bartlett is one of the most well-known and revered artists of the 19th century. His etchings and engravings have made their way into countless publications and are largely considered some of the most influential historical drawings of the 19th century.
Born in 1809, Bartlett quickly found his love for drawing. He was apprenticed to John Britton, an architect and antiquarian, and became one of the foremost illustrators of topography of his generation. His love of drawing coupled with his master's love of history made him a perfect candidate to illustrate the history of the world, prior to photographic technology. He took several trips to Canada and the Americas to illustrate the landscape, buildings and people. In 1835, Bartlett first visited the United States to draw the buildings, towns and scenery of the northeastern states. The finely detailed steel engravings Bartlett produced were published, uncolored, with a text by Nathaniel Parker Willis as: "American Scenery; or Land, Lake, and River: Illustrations of Transatlantic Nature." "American Scenery" was published by George Virtue in London and solidified Bartlett's reputation as one of the most skilled artists of the time. Bartletts primary concern was to render "lively impressions of actual sights", as he wrote in the preface to The Nile Boat (London, 1849). Many views contain some ruin or element of the past including many scenes of churches, abbeys, cathedrals and castles, and Nathaniel Parker Willis described Bartlett's talent thus: "Bartlett could select his point of view so as to bring prominently into his sketch the castle or the cathedral, which history or antiquity had allowed".
Bartlett took at least 3 trips to the North American continent. His most extensive journey saw him begin in Quebec (there are no verified accounts of his travels through the Canadian Maritimes), travel westward to Niagara Falls and then take the Erie Canal to Owego, NY, before departing back to England. Although he took several trips, we can only confirm that which has been found in personal letters and correspondence. However, his multiple trips produced some of the most stunning natural engravings ever to have been published.

VILLAGE OF CEDARS, RIVER ST. LAWRENCE.
London : George Virtue, 1840. An attractive antique print with the church and adjacent houses, the river, etc. Engraved by Robert Brandard (1805-1862) from an original study by the well-known William Henry Bartlett. Originally produced for the part-work series “Canadian Scenery” (London : 1840-1842).
Steel line engraving on paper. Later hand-coloured. Located between Pages 112 and 113 of the book: "Canadian Scenery Volume 1." https://archive.org/details/canadiansceneryi01will/page/n191/mode/2up
The colours and the detail, as usual for Bartlett prints, is staggering. Only with a loupe could I properly see the masterful work of this exceedingly talented artist. It is simply beautiful. There are no appreciable blemishes or marks on the print, save for an ever-so-slight bit of fading to the paper, near the border of the frame.

It is a beautiful piece and would make a wonderful addition to any print collection.

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