View of the Copper Works at Neath
Print, hand-colored engraving on laid or wove paper • After Paul Sandby, R.A. (engraved by William Walker and William Angus)
Style & Movement
18th-century British Topographical Art / Georgian Landscape
Medium & Technique
Engraving with hand-coloring in watercolor or gouache
Creation Period
1779
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 8 x 10 inches (plate mark), rectangular format with an oval central image
Subject Description
An oval topographical landscape depicting the copper works at Neath, Wales, framed within an ornamental border featuring wheat sheaves and a cornucopia. Figures in period 18th-century attire populate the foreground, with rolling hills, industrial works, and water in the midground under a cloudy sky.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good. Paper shows age-appropriate toning, yellowing, and minor foxing, but the hand-coloring remains vibrant and the impression is clear.
Estimated Market Value
300 - 500 USD
Auction Estimate
200 - 400 USD
Provenance History
Published according to Act of Parliament by G. Kearsly in Fleet Street, March 1779, as part of Paul Sandby's notable Welsh views series. Descended through private collections with standard secondary art market distribution.
Art Historical Significance
Part of Paul Sandby's celebrated series of views in Wales, which helped popularize picturesque tourism and topographical printmaking in late 18th-century Britain. It documents early industrial sites integrated into the picturesque landscape.
Notable Features
Includes detailed inscriptions in the lower margins identifying the artist (P. Sandby R.A. pinxit), the engravers (W. Walker & W. Angus sculp.), publication details (G. Kearsly, March 1779), and the plate number (Pl. 40).
Condition Issues
Natural paper aging, uniform toning and yellowing from historical framing materials, slight acidic mat burn at the margins, and faint foxing spots.
Conservation Recommendations
Hinged to acid-free conservation-grade backing with archival matting. Display away from direct sunlight using UV-filtering glass or acrylic to prevent further fading of the hand-coloring.