A view of Ranelagh Gardens during a masquarade, with the revellers wearing masks. After a design by Canaletto. For an engraving of the same scene in reverse, published by Robert Sayer in 1752, see British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1880,1113.2450
Alternative Title:
View of the canal, Chinese building, rotunda, &c. in Ranelagh Gardens, with masquerade, Vüe du canal, du batiment chinois, de la rotunda, &c. des Jardins de Ranelagh, un jour de masquarade, and Masquerade angloise
Description:
Title etched below image., Additional title "Masquerade angloise" at top of plate, etched as a mirror image., Signed in lower right corner with an illegible printmaker's signature., Date of publication from dealer's description., Sheet trimmed within plate mark on right and left sides., A 'vuë d'optique', designed to be viewed through an optical viewer that gives a sense of depth perspective; the scene is reversed, as is the additional title at top., Manuscript number "9" written in ink at bottom of sheet, centered., Mounted on board., and Windows of the rotunda in image cut out by hand and inset with hand-painted multi-color inserts, which appear illuminated when a light is held from behind.
Title from annotation on verso., Probably a proof state., Date of publication from unverified data in local card catalog record., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Annotated by Horace Walpole in pencil on verso: Abbè de Marolly.
"Portrait of a woman (possibly Mary Ruthven or Princess Mary), bust-length, turned to the right, with curly hair, pearl necklace, and embroidered dress."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from manuscript annotation in pencil above image, on mounting page., Place of publication based on printmaker's nationality; date range for publication from the British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1888,0612.40., Imperfect; sheet trimmed within plate mark with loss of statements of responsibility from bottom edge. Missing text supplied from impression in the British Museum., and Mounted on page 163 of Horace Walpole's extra-illustrated copy of his: A description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole. Strawberry Hill : Printed by Thomas Kirgate, 1784. See Hazen, A.T. Bibliography of the Strawberry Hill Press (1973 ed.), no. 30, copy 12.