Very Rare, Aquatint View Rio de Janeiro

SYDENHAM, Thomas, Esq. / ORME, Edward. [London, 1812]

Rio De Janeiro.  SYDENHAM, Thomas, Esq. / ORME, Edward [London: January 1, 1812]  Entrance of the Harbour of Rio Janeiro. London: Pubd. Jan. 1 1812, by Edwd. Orme, Printseller to the King, Engraver & Publisher, Bond Strt. Corner of Brook St.  10 x 14 ¼ inches.  Excellent condition.                                                                                                        

Very rare, delicately executed aquatint view of the entrance of Rio’s harbor, highlighting the area’s dramatic topography.  We have not found the work in the relevant bibliographies, and OCLC lists a single copy-- at the British Library (acquired in 1917 via donation from Baroness Lucas of Crudwell).  Given the above, the work was most likely published separately. 

As noted at lower left of the view, it was after a drawing by Thomas Sydenham, who accompanied the Envoy Extraordinary to Portugal and Brazil, Charles Stuart, 1^st Baron de Rothesay, and later succeeded him in his post from 1814 to 1817.  During this period, Rio de Janeiro was the chosen seat of Queen Maria I of Portugal, after the royal court transferred itself from Portugal to Brazil 1808.  The view was engraved by J. Jeakes.

Price: $2,500.00