Latrobe's View of America, 1795-1820: Selections from the Watercolors and Sketches
Edward C. Carter II (Editor)
Charles E. Brownnell (Editor)
John C. Van Horne (Editor)
Price: $69.95

Hardcover, 400 pp. 8-3/4 x 11-1/4 in..
ISBN: 0300029497
Pub. Date: April 1985
Publisher: Yale University Press
Out-of-Print.
Condition: NEW in Wrapper (Unread)

from the Original Book Jacket Description: "Benjamin Henry Latrobe, America's first professional architect and engineer, was also a superb draftsman and watercolorist who recorded the American landscape during a period that is largely unrepresented pictorially. Many of Latrobe's renderings are the earliest - and in some cases the sole - known views of particular sites; thus the views and accompanying commentary in this colorful book constitute a unique image of early America.

"The 161 drawings, sketches, and watercolors in the volume cover a wide variety of subjects: rivers, roads, bridges, canals, towns, flora and fauna, people in their homes and at work and play Whenever possible, the editors use Latrobe's own words to describe the scenes he depicted, and they have supplemented Latrobe's commentary with excerpts from the writings of other contemporary travelers. In addition, the editors have provided their own commentary to explain each view, identify the buildings or locales depicted, and give enough background information to make the drawings valuable historical documents in their own right. The volume includes an introductory essay by Edward C. Carter on Latrobe's artistic, scientific, and professional training, and one by Charles E. Brownell that evaluates Latrobe's achievement in the drawings, placing him in the context of artistic development of his time. Each illustration is accompanied by a catalogue entry that gives full documenta-tion and technical details."