Wood (William) A Series of Twenty-Eight Panoramic Views of Calcutta

Wood (William) A Series of Twenty-Eight Panoramic Views of Calcutta, ink gift inscription "Ramsay from the Earl of Dalhousie", 28 handsomely hand-coloured lithographed plates, mostly on india paper, few short marginal tears, light marginal surface staining, Richardson of Pitfour bookplate, original printed boards, rebacked and recornered, rubbing and browning, [Abbey, Travel 495; Bobins 277], folio, 1833. *** Rare hand-coloured plates. Wood arrived in Calcutta in 1828 to assist his brother George, who was the Superintendent of the Asiatic Lithographic Press. His series of prints presents an almost continuous panorama of buildings as viewed from the Maidan. Starting with Chandpaul Ghat, the views extend along Esplanade Row, and then turn into Chowringhee. By the time all parts were completed in 1833, other publishing houses, including Ackermann and Parbury and Allen, had also acquired selling rights. After the first part was issued, the East India Magazine for March 183, reported: ‘These views are extremely interesting; they convey an accurate idea of the sumptuous residences occupied by part of the European community at Calcutta. An observant eye will soon mark the contrast between the degree of splendour attaching to the private residences from that of the public edifices... No old retired [British resident of India] should be without these admirable representations. They call up so many exquisite visions of the past that the mind seems haunted by a spell while gazing upon them, almost too fascinating to wish it to be broken.’ This copy is potentially presented by the Earl of Dalhousie between 1848-1849 during the time we was Governor General of India, but prior to becoming the Marquessate.

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