Plans, Elevations, Sections, And Details Of The Alhambra: From Drawings Taken On The Spot In 1834 By The Late M Jules Goury And In 1834 And 1837 By Owen Jones Archt. With A Complete Translation Of The Arabic Inscriptions, And And Historical Notice Of The Kings Of Granada, From The Conquest Of That City By The Arabs To The Expulsion Of The Moors, By Mr Pasqual De Gayangas. Vol. I. (II.)
Alhambra Palais
Details And Ornaments From The Alhambra
Imprint
London:: Published By Owen Jones., MDCCCXLII. (-MDCCCXLV.)
Physical Description
2 vols. [v.I: [12, 20, [100] p., add. t.pl., 51, [1] pl. (the plates not carrying numbers but assigned numbers in the List Of Plates): illus. - v.II: [4] p., add.t.pl., 50 pl.]; 583 mm.
Contents
Vol. I: [Prelim. p. with French verse, add. t.pl., t.p., dedic.] - Advertisement - List Of Subscribers - List Of Plates - Historical Notice - [Plates, with explan. texts]. - Vol. II: [Add. t.pl., t.p.] - List Of Plates - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
In Volume I the added title-plate is unsigned, as are also pl. 10, 46, 49, 50 and the unnumbered plate at the end. Pl. 47 and 48 are signed as drawn by Enrique. All other plates are signed as drawn by Owen Jones or Jules Goury or by both. Some plates are signed as engraved by W.S. Wilkinson, E. Kennion, T.T. Bury or Carl Rauch; a few as lithographed by F. Finlay or Owen Jones. Most chromolithographed plates are signed as lithographed by Owen Jones, but a few are unsigned by a lithographer and one is signed as lithographed by J. Johnson.
Most plates carry the printer / publisher's imprint of Owen Jones. Two pl. are signed as printed or lithographed by Day & Haghe. One engraved pl. carries the imprint of Gaywood & Longworth.
Two in-text illustrations are signed - one relating to pl. 23 as made by Henry Vizetelly, one relating to pl. 46 by F. Branston.
The printer is named on the t.p. verso: 'London: Vizetelly Brothers And Co. Printers, 135 Fleet Street.'
The work is dedicated by Owen Jones to the memory of Jules Goury.
In Volume II the added title-plate and all plates are unsigned by draughtsman or lithographer. All other plates other than the added title-plate carry the publisher's imprint of Owen Jones.
References
RIBA, Early printed books, 5 (2003), no. 3941, p.2647-9; Travel In Aquatint And Lithography 1770-1860 From The Library Of J.R. Abbey ... Bibliographical Catalogue, I (repr. 1991), no. 156; J.M. Friedman, Color Printing in England 1486 - 1870 [exhibition catalogue] (1978), no. 145.
On Jones and on the influence of Arabic decoration see G.A. Davies, Y llaw broffwydol: Owen Jones, Pensaer (1809-74) (2004); M. Darby, The Islamic perspective: an aspect of British architecture and design in the 19th century (1983); on the production and publishing history of the book see especially Paul W. Nash's 'Notable books: Plans, elevations, sections and details of the Alhambra', in: Private Library, 5th series, vol. 7:3 (Autumn 2004), p. 105-120; and Michael Twyman, A history of chromolithography: printed colour for all (2013), pp. 92-95.
Summary Note
The variant titles given on the added title-plates read: (Vol. I.) 'La Alhambra Palais Que Les Génies Ont Doré Comme Un Rêve Et Rempli D'Harmonies'; (Vol. II) 'Details And Ornaments From The Alhambra By Owen Jones Architect'.
The publication-date of Volume I is given on the title-page as 1842, but on the added title-plate as 1841; and the plates carry dates ranging from 1836 to 1842. That of Volume II is given on the title-page as 1845, and the plates carry dates ranging from 1839 to 1845. The work was originally published in parts at irregular intervals from April 1836 through to 1845.
The text is printed in English and French, in parallel.
The plates provide a survey of the Alhambra or 'Red Citadel' (al-qala al-hamra) at Granada: (Vol. I:) [1] plan of the fortress; [2-32] views, plans, elevations, sections and architectural details; [33-44] interior decorations; [45] a vase; [46-50] ceiling paintings and frescoes; [51] sections and plans of the Torre De Las Infantas; [unnumbered] arabesque decoration; (Vol. II:) details of interior decoration and ornament.
In Volume I the added title-plate and twenty-five plates are chromolithographs; the first and third plates are hand-coloured engravings. In Volume II pl. 2-10 are engravings; the rest, chromolithographs.
Having met in Greece, Jones and Goury had travelled through Egypt, Turkey and Spain to pursue their interest in architectural polychromy. This, their detailed survey of the Alhambra at Granada, was one of the earliest British examples of a colour-plate book printed by chromolithography; and its impressive plates contributed to a growing interest in polychromatic decoration in architecture. Each chromolithograph is printed in as many as six or seven colors, including gold. In order to produce the work Jones set up his own press, with the help of the firm of Day and Haghe (afterwards Day and Son).
Provenance
19 December 1854: 'Ordered to purchase Mr. Owen Jones' work on the Alhambra for the Library' (RA Council Minutes, XI, 85).
Binding Note
20th-century red cloth-covered boards; black morocco spine-labels lettered 'Plans Elevations And Sections Of The Alhambra', spine lettered 'Owen Jones Vol. I (II)' and 'R.A.'
Subject
Architecture, Arab - Architecture details - Fortresses - Palaces - Gardens - Water-gardens - Spain - Andalucia - Granada - History - 13th century - 14th century - 15th century
Plans - Elevations - Sections - Views - Pattern books - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Lithographs - Chromolithographs - Colour printing - Great Britain - 19th century