Edinburgh

London: F.J.Sarjent, 1810. Aquatint, printed in colours with hand-colouring, by Sarjent. (Two small expertly repaired tears to blank margins). A beautiful and rare large format view of Edinburgh.

Francis Sarjent drew, engraved and published this rare view of Scotland's capital city. This panoramic image is balanced and enlivened by the figures in the foreground of an old sailor (telescope under one arm), who stands talking to two young boys whilst the sailor's greyhound looks on. Various landmark buildings are identified beneath the image: The Bank, The New Prison, Prince Street, The Register Office and the Monument to the memory of Lord Nelson. Sarjent is also credited with having painted the images for a number of the plates in W.Richards & J.Sillett's 'The History of King's Lynn' (London & King's Lynn: 1812). A 19th-century gazetteer notes that 'Edinburgh presents, from almost every point of view whence it can be viewed such scenic and architectural groupings as are perhaps unrivalled in any existing city in the world. It possesses attractions peculiarly its own, and fixes the gaze and challenges the admiration of a spectator by displays of general excellence, unaided by the sumptuousness of any one object, and undergraded by the deteriorations from its prevailing style of magnificence.' (Fullarton [publishers] A Gazetteer of the World 1856, III, p.140).