Views of the Lakes, etc. In Cumberland And Westmorland. Engraved From Drawings Made By Joseph Farington, R.A.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
04/3173
Imprint
Published By William Byrne,, London,: MDCCLXXXIX.
Physical Description
[1], 20 f., [20] pl.: 398×535 mm.
General Note
Each plate is followed by one numbered leaf of text.
Contents
[T.p.] - [Plates with texts].
Responsibility Note
All plates are signed as drawn by Josh. Farington, and engraved by W. Byrne and T. Medland, B.T. Pouncy, W. Byrne and J. Landseer, or T. Medland.
Each plate carries the imprint line of W. Byrne as publisher and the original date of publication.
Farington asked William Cookson to write the descriptive text (see Bicknell, op. cit., no. 22).
References
ESTC, T123474
Peter Bicknell, The picturesque scenery of the Lake District 1752-1855: a bibliographical study (1990), no.22;
M. Andrews, The picturesque: literary sources and documents (3 v., 1994)
Summary Note
Although the letterpress title-page is dated 1789 this series was first published in parts at irregular intervals as follows: 1 December 1784 (pl.1, 2), 1 February 1785 (pl.5), 1 March 1785 (pl.6), 1 April 1785 (pl.4), 15 April 1785 (pl.3), 1 January 1787 (pl. 7, 8), 15 March 1787 (pl. 10), 2 April 1787 (pl.9), 1 January 1788 (pl. 11, 12), 15 January 1788 (pl. 13, 14), 1 January 1789 (pl. 16, 18), 1 April 1789 (pl. 17, 19), 1 May 1789 (pl. 15), 15 May 1789 (pl.20). Peter Bicknell states that the first six plates were published as a group in 1786, and the first fourteen similarly in 1789. There was also an issue consisting of etched states of the plates before letters.
The text is printed in parallel English and French.
The landscape-painter and diarist, Joseph Farington, worked in the Lake District from 1775 to 1781. He became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1783 and a full Member in 1785. This is the earliest of many books of views of the Lake District.
Reproductions
A facsimile was published in 1977 (Ulverston, UK: Reminder Press).
Provenance
28 February 1804: 'Resolved, that the Views of the Lakes in Cumberland, & Westmorland, engraved by Byrne, &c. be purchased for the Library' (RA Council Minutes III, 257).
'Paid Joseph Farington Esq. R.A. for the following Books ... Views of the Lakes £7.0.0. Binding ditto £0.18.0.' (RA Account Book, 'Abstract of Bills .. Christmas 1803 to Lady Day 1804'); see also RA Council Minutes III, 270 (14 March 1804).
Copy Note
Imperfect; wanting the title-page.
Binding Note
Farington was re-imbursed 18s. for the cost of binding this volume in 1804 (see RA Account Book, 'Abstract of Bills ... Christmas 1803 to Lady Day 1804). Presently bound in mid 20th-century half calf, green cloth-covered boards, red morocco spine-label lettered 'Farington's Views Of The Lakes', spine lettered 'R.A.'
Landscapes (environments) - Lakes - Great Britain - Cumberland - Westmoreland - Lake District
Drawings - Landscapes (representations) - Views - Great Britain - 18th century - Picturesque, the
Views - Great Britain - 18th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 18th century