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Christchurch

Medium: aquatint
Engraver: William Daniell
Dated: c. 1823
Image Dimensions: 12½" x 9½" (31.75cm x 24.13cm)
Price: £135.00

This masterfully executed hand-colored aquatint engraving from 1823 presents a striking coastal view of Christchurch Priory, located in modern-day Dorset (historically Hampshire). The plate originates from William Daniell’s monumental publication, ⁠A Voyage Round Great Britain, published in eight volumes between 1814 and 1825. Uniquely handling the entire creative pipeline himself, Royal Academician William Daniell drew, engraved, and published this plate, showcasing his status as one of the finest topographic printmakers of the 19th century.Architecturally, the scene centers on Christchurch Priory, an exceptional Anglo-Norman parish church that stands on the site of an earlier 7th-century monastic foundation. The structure’s prominent 15th-century perpendicular western tower dominates the skyline, standing in juxtaposition to the expansive Romanesque and Gothic nave behind it. Having miraculously survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII after being granted directly to the townspeople, the magnificent “prodigy-scale” parish church is depicted here nestled against the ancient low-lying houses of the harbor settlement.The composition beautifully links the historic architecture with the maritime commerce of pre-industrial Britain. Daniell depicts the calm waters of the harbor populated by an array of period watercraft, including small wooden rowboats, single-masted fishing vessels, and larger transport sailboats resting at anchor. The delicate aquatint wash renders the moody, expansive English sky with remarkable atmospheric depth, balancing the intricate linear details of the stone Priory.

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