546 - W. WATTS (*1752) after ROBERTSON (*1748), Mount Clare in Surrey, 1784, Etching

W. WATTS (*1752) after ROBERTSON (*1748), Mount Clare in Surrey, 1784, Etching William Watts (1752 - 1851 ) after George Robertson (around 1748 - 1788 ): Mount Clare in Surrey Mount Clare in Surrey, Sir John Dick's country estate with parkland, 1784, Etching Technique: Etching on Paper Impression Quality: Excellent, harmonious print. Inscription: At the lower part signed in the printing plate: "J. Robertson del. / W. Watts sculp.". At the lower part inscribed in the printing plate: "Mount Clare in Surry the Seat of Sir John Dick Bart. / Published as the Act directs June 4th 1784 by W. Watts Chelsea.". Date: 1784 Description: Expansive landscape depiction with a stately country house on a gently rising hill in the middle ground. The building has a symmetrical façade with a columned portico in front. In the foreground, several sheep graze in a dark meadow. On the right, tall, densely leafy trees frame the scene; two small figures sit and stand below them, with a light carriage beside them. Groups of trees stagger to the left and behind the house, above them an expansive sky with large clouds. The composition combines an architectural centre with a landscape setting. Delicate lines, dense hatching and differentiated tonal gradations model spatial depth, light and shadow. Source: William Watts (1752 -1851 ) The seats of the nobility and gentry, in a collection of the most interesting and picturesque views, 1779 | Book, Architecture Keywords: Country house; Manor house; Park landscape; Hills; Trees; Sheep; Carriage; Figure staffage; Cloudy sky; Portico; Landscape print; Etching; Copper engraving; Architecture; Pasture landscape; Tree framing; View; Surrey; English country estate; 18th century; Classicism; Landscape; United Kingdom; Size: Paper: 20,3 cm x 24,3 cm (8 x 9,6 in), Plate: 15,0 cm x 20,1 cm (5,9 x 7,9 in), Depiction: 12,2 cm x 18,1 cm (4,8 x 7,1 in) Condition: Defective condition. Slightly browned sheet with pale foxing and age stains, a more prominent stain in the lower left margin and minor traces of storage and margins. Some bumping along the left margins of the sheet and a short marginal tear in the centre. The corners of the sheet minimally bumped. Marked scratch in the paper in the image.