Johannes Kip (1652 – 1722) and Leonard Knyff (1650 – 1722)

Burlington House (1707)

Engraving with later hand-colouring

36 x 50 cm

The linked careers of Jan Kip and Leonard Knyff made a specialty of engraved views of English country houses, represented in detail from the bird’s-eye view, a pictorial convention for topography. Their major work was Britannia Illustrata: Or Views of Several of the Queens Palaces, as Also of the Principal seats of the Nobility and Gentry of Great Britain, Curiously Engraven on 80 Copper Plates, London (1707, published in the winter of 1708-9). The volume is among the most important English topographical publications of the 18th century. Architecture is rendered with care, and the settings of parterres and radiating avenues driven through woods or planted across fields, garden paths, gates and toolsheds are illustrated in detail. The images are staffed with figures and horses, coaches pulling into forecourts, water-craft on rivers, in line with the traditions of the Low Countries.

The inscription in the plate reads:

Burlington House in Pickadilly Belonging to the R.t Honble Charles Boyle Baron Clifforde of Londesburgh, and Earle of Burlington Baron of younghall & Bandon, Viscount Kynalmeaky & Dungarvan, Earle of Corke in the Kingdom of Ireland, Chief Governour of the County of Corke, and the Citty, and County of the Citty of Corke, Lord high Treasurer of Ireland, Lord high Steward of the Royalty of Knaresburgh in the County of Yorke, & one of the Gentlemen of his Majties Beddchamber.

Condition: recent hand colouring, with wash-lined mount.

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