These watercolours are exquisite miniaturised versions of Continental subjects after leading early 19th-century topographical artists, including Samuel Prout (1783–1852), Clarkson Stanfield (1793–1867) and Richard Parkes Bonington (1802–1828)—in Italy, Switzerland, France and on the Rhine. Scaled down and executed in minute detail, they perfectly render the perspective and proportions of the originals that they are after. They are an impressive exercise in technical skill, whilst retaining the atmosphere and sense of place of the original topographical works.
As a collection, these watercolours interestingly show a commonality between these contemporaneous artists and their Continental topographical work—work which was often carried out for reproduction as plate illustrations in the popular landscape annuals of the day. Publications such as 'Heath's Picturesque Annual' (1832–45) and Jennings' 'Landscape Annual' series (1830–39) were a staple trade for aspiring artists of the time. Often called Books of Beauty, these newly popular annuals were lavishly produced, with high quality engravings and expensive bindings. Each illustration would focus on a notable architectural landmark or landscape feature, but equally important in the composition would be commonplace street scenes of old facades and human activity.
These miniature paintings derive from various 19th-century collections. Their talented anonymous authors represent the popular fascination with European travel and its iconic sites in the early 19th century. New travel annuals brought armchair travel to the middle class masses, eager to be vicariously transported to places that they would likely never physically visit.
