The Falls of the Velino at Terni, Antique Italian Waterfall View, circa 1850

This is a view of the falls of the Velino near Terni, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption reads FALL des VELINO bei Terni in Italien, German for the fall of the Velino near Terni in Italy.

The upright plate is filled by the gorge. At the upper left the river pours over the cliff edge in two tall white streams into a cloud of spray, and below it the water breaks over a wide lower cascade at the center and rushes toward the viewer. Steep wooded crags rise on both sides, a small building stands on the brink of the cliff at the upper right, and two tiny figures stand on the rocks at the left.

No artist or engraver is named under the image. Below the caption the plate carries the house imprint, Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Instit. in Hildbh. at the lower left and Eigenthum d. Verleger at the lower right. The first is the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen, the second reads "property of the publishers." A roman plate number is engraved at the top right.

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Its imprint is that of Meyer's Universum, a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. The falls, now called the Cascata delle Marmore, were created by a channel the Romans cut in 271 BC to drain the Velino into the Nera.

Even age toning. Handling soiling along the bottom and right edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Slight wear at the bottom right and top left corners. Minor edge wear, shallow nicks along the left and right.

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