THE BORDER ANTIQUITIES OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND; Comprising Specimens of Architecture and Sculpture and Other Vestiges of Former Ages Accompanied by Descriptions. Together with Illustrations of Remarkable Incidents in Border History and Tradition and Original Poetry.
181434227London: Printed for Longman Hurst Rees Orme and Brown 1814. 2 volumes. First Edition. With fine antique family crest to each pastedown. Very handsomely illustrated with two elaborately engraved title-pages and ninety additional full-page engravings. Quarto handsomely bound in period full dark-green grained morocco the spines with raised bands separating the compartments which are elaborately decorated in gilt in elaborate multi-tooled designs two compartments lettered in gilt the covers with gine gilt rolled borders surrounded by triple gilt filleted rules gilt rolled turnovers rose endleaves all edges gilt. cxxvii 92; 93-209 ci 12 Index and Colophon pp. A fine set very pleasingly preserved the bindings strong and handsome the text and illustrations crisp clean and unpressed some very occasional spotting to some fore-edges but an unusually nice set of the first edition. FIRST EDITION. 'The work of the poet and novelist Sir Walter Scott 1771–1832 frequently reflected his interest in Scottish history and he is regarded as having written some of the most influential historical fiction of the nineteenth century. His literary works include the poem The Lady of the Lake and the novels Waverley and Ivanhoe. Originally published in these two volumes in 1814–17 is a work of non-fiction that illuminates Border history as revealed through architecture and artefacts. Scott was not the sole author but his substantial introduction sets the historical scene for the entries on various castles churches and other historic structures on both sides of the border. Illustrative extracts of his poetry are also included along with many detailed engravings of the evocative scenes and buildings described.' Cambridge University<br> The Border Antiquities of England and Scotland was initially published in 1814 co-authored by John Greig and William Mudford with contributions from Sir Walter Scott notably in the substantial introductory essay. The book is a survey of “specimens of architecture and sculpture and other vestiges of former ages†from the border regions of Scotland and England with historical descriptions accompanied by Greig’s engravings. The illustrations prioritise the empirical details of the architecture monuments and objects discussed in the text but at the same time in a typically nineteenth-century fashion they contextualise the historical monuments within romanticised landscapes.<br> Capturing the historic buildings and sculptures in as much detail as possible the images present complex three-dimensional structures in all of their depth and detail using only lines and hatching on a two-dimensional frame. Paying minute attention to the damage on the structures the weathering and the differing textures of building materials these engravings are executed with scientific precision but without the flatness and sterility of a diagram.<br> Not only do the engravings present clean and clear renderings of the structures described in the text they also incorporate elements of the same romanticism that infuses Scott’s literature. Almost every one of Greig’s illustrations incorporates staffage which gives a sense of scale and depth whilst also an adding allegorical side notes to each illustration. The figures serve a dual purpose technical and aesthetic directing the viewer’s eye to significant points in the image while also creating a romantic context for the scene. A natural abundance is emphasised in each engraving with lush trees and shrubbery framing the historical monuments within a romantic landscape while also acting as a device to create atmospheric recession. Greig even includes incidental details like birds over water and interactions between figures which also help to create the sense that the scene captures a specific place and time. In contextualising the scenes for the viewer these stylistic elements aid in the struggle towards achieving the illusion of three-dimensional space on the two-dimensional surface. ArSciTech 2018 Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown hardcover
Buddenbrooks, Inc. · États-Unis1 375,00 $US≈ 1 163,39 €
