Copperplate, hand colored in watercolor, 35 x 23 cm in light double passe - partout (including one leather); framed 52 x 37 cm; signed. on plate p.d. "Richard Blome". : Printed by S. Roycroft, London, 1686
Under the composition inscription:
To ye Rt. Honble. Christopher Duke of Albemarle, Earle of Torrington, Baron Monke of Potheridge, Beauchamp and Teyes, Knt. of ye most Noble order of ye Garter, Captaine of his Ma[jes]tys Life Guard, L[ie]utennant of ye County of Essex and Devonshire, one of ye Gentlemen of his Ma[jes]tys Bedchamber, and one of his most Honourable Privy Councell &c. This Plate of Fishing is most humbly Dedicated by Ric Blome.
Translation:
"To His Lordship Christopher, Duke of Albemarle, Earl of Torrington, Baron Monke of Potheridge, Beauchamp and Teyes, Knight of the noblest Order of the Garter, Captain of His Majesty's Bodyguard, Governor of the Counties of Essex and Devonshire, one of the Gentlemen of His Majesty's Bedchamber, and a member of His most honorable Privy Council, etc. The present engraving on Angling is most humbly dedicated by Ric Blome."
Richard Blome (1635-1705) was a prominent English publisher, cartographer, engraver and bookseller active in London during the second half of the 17th century.
Blome began publishing independently around 1663. Although he had no formal training in cartography, he became one of the most active figures in the London map and print trade of the time. He pioneered the publication of new world atlases and geographical descriptions in England.
Among his most important and well-known works are:
A Geographical Description of the Four Parts of the World (1670),
Britannia (1673),
The Gentleman's Recreation (1686), the work from which the engraving you provided is taken, which contains richly illustrated descriptions of various fields, including hunting and fishing.
The Gentlemans Recreation is an encyclopedia in two parts. The first is an encyclopedia of the arts and sciences, while the second part treats horseback riding, falconry, hunting, fowl, fishing and farming; with a short treatise on cockfighting. Blome first illustrated and described all the events and their circumstances to which gentlemen in his contemporary era devoted themselves. The entire publication contained about 100 copperplate engravings.
We own 6 copperplate engravings from the presented series.
