Seat of Charles Popham Hill at Saint Boniface, Isle of Wight, 1822

An original Brannon engraving of Saint Boniface in the Isle of Wight, lettered as the property of Charles Popham Hill, drawn, engraved and published by George Brannon in London on the first of November 1822. The house stands in its grounds under the great bulk of Saint Boniface Down, the highest ground on the island, with planting brought up close to the walls, a lawn falling away toward the sea and the slope of the down closing the view behind. The plate is one of the named house portraits in the series, and the engraved line is at its finest in the modeling of the down, where close parallel strokes carry the smooth chalk form without any hard outline. The whole impression is in uncolored line on copper.

The view belongs to Vectis Scenery, George Brannon's series of original and select views of the Isle of Wight, printed and published by the engraver himself at Wotton Common on the island in 1829 and sold by the principal local booksellers. Brannon drew the subjects on the spot and cut the copper plates himself, so draughtsman and engraver are one man throughout. The volume's own advertisement leaf describes a first series of twenty-eight views with a map and letter-press, with a further twenty views issued separately as a Sequel. The technique is line engraving on copper. The views were issued uncolored, as line engravings on white paper, and this impression is uncolored.

Saint Boniface Down is the highest point on the Isle of Wight and dominates this corner of the island, so a house set beneath it was a view in itself. The plate records the property under an owner whose name is engraved on the sheet, which is what turns a landscape into a document: estate historians and family researchers use these views to date buildings and planting. The imprint of 1822 places it among the earlier plates in the volume, cut while Brannon was still issuing his views singly to subscribers. It suits a study or a library, hung with other English country house engravings.

Light uneven toning, browner towards the edges. Marked handling soiling along the bottom and right edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. All four corners complete. Minor edge wear, shallow nicks along the left.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.