Egerton, Daniel Thomas | Views in Mexico, the scarce collection of lithographs

Egerton, Daniel Thomas

Views in Mexico. London: D.T. Egerton, 1840

12 handcolored lithographs (605 x 425mm), mounted on heavy card as issued, framed and glazed; plates lightly faded and toned, foxing to five plates, marginal discoloration from previous mat to seven plates, lacking the scarce separate pamphlet with title, list of plates and description of plates; not examined out of frames.

A collection of views from a key early British painter of Mexico.

Egerton was one of the original members of the Royal Society of British Artists. He first went to Mexico in 1830, one of the earliest artists to enter the country during its struggle for independence. The first exhibition of his paintings and sketches of Mexico took place with the Royal Society of British Artists and eventually led him to create the series Views in Mexico, where locations including Zacatecas, Puebla and Guadalajara are shown as picturesque views filled with indigenous people. Egerton lived in Mexico for much of his later life, bringing the Romantic style of painting to the country with his dynamic compositions and bright coloring.

The plates comprise:

• Sn. Augustin de las Cuevas
• Aguas calientes
• Mexico
• Guanaxuato
• Guadalaxara
• Vera Cruz
• Popocatapetl. Izlacchuatl. Puebla
• Zacatecas
• Plan del Rio-la Conducta
• Canon of Sn. Cayetano. Mine of Rayas. Guanaxuato
• Real del Monte
• Hacienda de Barrera

An exceedingly scarce work; we can trace only two other sets that have appeared at auction in the last thirty years.

REFERENCE:

Abbey Travel 670; Sabin 22044; Tooley 205.