440 - W. WATTS (*1752) after DALBY (*1794), Hooton in Cheshire, 1780, Etching

W. WATTS (*1752) after DALBY (*1794), Hooton in Cheshire, 1780, Etching William Watts (1752 - 1851 ) after David Dalby (1794 - 1836 ): Hooton in Cheshire Hooton in Cheshire, country estate of Sir Wm Stanley in park-like view, 1780, Etching Technique: Etching on Paper Impression Quality: Quite excellent, harmonious pressure, delicate and clear. Inscription: At the lower part signed in the printing plate: "D. Dalby delt. / W. Watts sculp.". At the lower part inscribed in the printing plate: "Hooton in Cheshire, the Seat of Sir Wm Stanley Bart / Published as the Act directs, July 25, 1780, by W. Watts, Knightsbridge, Chelsea.". Date: 1780 Description: View of a stately country house in a park-like landscape. The three-storey building with a symmetrical façade, central gable and roof figures stands slightly to the left of center on a hill. Tall trees frame the scene on both sides and create a natural repoussoir. A path leads to the right into the open meadow, where small staffage figures and dogs appear; in the background are further groups of trees and rolling hills. The sky is wide and cloudy. The print works with delicate lines, dense hatching and graduated tonal values, giving the foliage, architecture and terrain a three-dimensional structure. Figure and ground remain clearly separated from each other. 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; Architectural view; Trees; Meadow; Walkway; Stage figures; Dogs; Hills; Cloudy sky; England; Cheshire; Country seat; Engraving; Veduta; Landscape framing; Symmetry; Facade; Noble residence; 18th century; Classicism; Architecture; United Kingdom; Size: Paper: 20,3 cm x 25,9 cm (8 x 10,2 in), Plate: 15,6 cm x 20,0 cm (6,1 x 7,9 in), Depiction: 12,5 cm x 18,3 cm (4,9 x 7,2 in) Condition: Good condition. Sheet slightly browned overall, with somewhat stronger marginal toning and scattered small age spots in the margins. Slightly bumped and creased along the right margins of the sheet and slightly fingerstained. The corners of the sheet slightly bumped and creased. Irregularity in the paper at the top of the sheet margin.