London:: Printed By T. Chapman, For John Smith, William Byrne, and John Emes., M,DCC,XCII. (-MDCCXCVI.)
Physical Description
2 vols.; 252×366 mm. (Oblong folio.)
General Note
Vol. I: [150] p., engr. dedic., pl. 1-36. - Vol. II: [78] p., pl. 37-72, map.
Contents
Vol. I: [T.p., engr. dedic.] - Introduction - [Pl. with texts]. - Vol. II: [T.p.] - [Pl. with texts] - [Map] - Index; Or Reference To The Plates. In the Royal Academy's copy the Index is bound in at the end of Vol. II, although it carries below its title the printed instruction '[To be placed after the Introduction.''.
Responsibility Note
All plates are signed as drawn by J. Smith - in three cases as after sketches by Wm. Cowper, Sir Rd. C. Hoare or T. Jones. They are signed as engraved by T. Medland, Willm. Byrne, J. Schuman, B.T. Pouncy, J. Emes, J. Landseer, J. Roffe, Jas. Sparrow, W. Watts, J. Shirt or W. Lowry.
Each plate carries the publishers' imprint - in Volume I that of Willm. Byrne, John Smith and John Emes, in Volume II that of Willm. Byrne, John Smith and James Edwards.
On the dedication plate the vignette is signed as drawn by H. Tresham and engraved by J. Heath; the text is signed as scripted by Tomkins and engraved by Ashby.
'A General Map, shewing the situation of the principal Towns & Places, Engraved & Described In J. Smith's Select Views In Italy' is signed as engraved by B. Baker, and carries the publishers' imprint of Smith, Byrne and Edwards May 1799.
The work is dedicated by John Smith to the Queen [Charlotte].
References
M. Hardie, Water-colour painting in Britain, vol. 1 (1966), p.113-7; I.A. Williams, 'John "Warwick" Smith', in Old Water-colour Society's club, 24 (1946), p.9-18.
Summary Note
The title page of Volume II carries the imprint of a different printer and set of publishers: 'Printed By W. Bulmer And Co. For J. Smith, W. Byrne, And J. Edwards.' and the date 'MDCCXCVI'. Although the title-pages bear the dates of 1792 and 1796 respectively, the work appears to have been published serially, for the plates carry the dates, in Volume I of 1792 (Feb 2, Nov 1), 1793 (Jan 1, May 1, Dec 1), 1794 (Feb 1, Mar 1) and 1795 (Feb 1, Apr 15, May 1, 15, June 1, 15), and in Volume II of 1796 (Sep 15), 1797 (May 15), 1798 (Jan 1, 15, Mar 24) and 1799 (May 15, 25, 30).
John Smith's name does not appear on the title-pages, but his signature appears on every plate and the map title refers to 'J. Smith's Views In Italy'.
Smith received several commissions from Lord Warwick and became known as John 'Warwick' Smith; Warwick arranged for him to be in Italy from 1776 to 1781 - at the same period as William Pars, Francis Towne and Thomas Jones (whose Memoirs give some account of his movements).
Provenance
20 February 1804: 'Resolved, that the following be purchased for the Library of the Royal Academy - viz. ... Smith's Views in Italy ...' (RA Council Minutes III, 254).
14 March 1804: Joseph Farington reimbursed £7 12s. for 'Smith's Views in Italy Bound' (RA Council Minutes III, 270).
Binding Note
18th-century mottled calf; rebacked, red and black morocco spine-labels lettered 'Views In Italy Vol. I. (II.)', spines lettered 'R.A.'