Surrey Prints

9x7 cm

Albury Park, Surrey, the seat of M.^rs Wall.
Drawn & Engraved by I Hassell. 
London. Pub.1.Dec.^r 1816 by I.Hassell.

Aquatint in original hand colour by John Hassell published in a two volume work: Picturesque Rides and Walks, with Excursions by Water, Thirty miles round the Metropolis...London, John Hassell 1817-1818.
John Hassell (1767?-1825) was an English landscape painter, engraver, illustrator writer, publisher, drawing master, friend and biographer of fellow artist George Morland.
The work included 120 aquatint engravings. Aquatint is an etching process using powdered rosin to create tones on the copperplate which, when hand coloured with watercolour washes after printing, gave the effect of a watercolour painting. The small two volume work was expensive to produce and sales were limited, the work and surviving plates are scarce today.

The aquatint shows the house following the alterations by architect John Soane commisioned by Samuel Thornton in 1800. The title below giving the occupant as Mrs Wall, is right up-to-date: Albury park was purchased by Barings Bank partner, Charles Wall in 1811. Charles was married to his business partner's daughter, Harriet Wall née Baring, who was a well known evangelist who organised well attended twice daily religious meetings at the house. Charles died in 1815.

Some fingermarking esp. to lower edge.