The Palace of Cantalupo, View of Part of Naples, and Mont Vesuvius / Palais de Cantalupo...

A square building with a row of narrow rounded arches in the lower section, on the edge of the bay of Naples, a cliff-face with overhanging foliage behind it, fishermen on the shore and on a rock close to the beach in the foreground to left, a view of the city and Mount Vesuvius in the background to right; after Pietro Fabris.

Aquatint with etching, 1777, lettered with the title in English and French in cursive letters and: "Fabris del. / Archd. Robertson fecit. / Publish'd April 1st. 1777. by P. Sandby & A. Robertson, as the Act directs."

A group of aquatints by Paul Sandby and Archibald Robertson after views by Pietro Fabris are generally considered together as a set of Views in and near Naples. Of these, sixteen are supposed to have been published initially, in 1777. Other plates published up until 1782 have traditionally been added, perhaps because they share the same painter and similar subject matter, to number twenty-four. The exact content of the expanded 'set' varies and the additional plates come from groups which could be considered distinct from each other and from the original sixteen.

The existence of a set of sixteen views is inferred by Abbey from three catalogue entries, of which the earliest is in Bohn where a book previously owned by Thomas Daniell is said to contain Sandby's 'Collection of Views in Naples and other Parts of Italy, 16 fine plates, 1777.' (H. G. Bohn, 'Catalogue of Books', also called the Guinea Catalogue, 1841, 1847).

Archibald Robertson (active 1777-1796) was a landscape painter and aquatinter. His trade card in the Banks Collection advertises "Archibald Robertson, Print-Seller and Drawing-Master, in Savill Row Passage, adjoining Squib's Auction Room Sells great variety of Italian, French and Dutch Prints and Drawings; Best Swiss Crayons, variety of Drawing Paper, Port Crayons, all sorts of Italian and French Chalks, Colour Boxes, the best black Lead and Hair Pencils, India Ink, Port-folios with or without Leaves, Ladies black Tracing Paper, and very fine Transparent Do. for Etching, with Copper Plates prepared for Do. Etching Needles &c. &c. &C. Visiting Cards Engraved in the most elegant manner; Great choice of Paper Hangings in the newest Taste. N.B. Sandby's works in Aqua Tinta, to be had complete. Prints Framed & Glazed, and Drawings neatly fitted up."

His first aquatints in 1777 were jointly published with Paul Sandby, from whom he evidently learnt aquatint. Sandby is said to have lived over Robertson's shop.

A very good impression, printed on contemporary laid paper, repaired tears at the left and right edges, otherwise good condition. Rare.

Bibliografia

Abbey Travel, Travel in Aquatint and lithography 1770-1860 from the library of J.R.Abbey (162.7).