A View of London from Flamstead Hill in Greenwich Park.

Description

Black and white copper etching and engraving - etched by Eliz[abeth] and engraved by W[illiam] Ellis.

No publisher or date given, but c. 1786.

Image size: 15 1/4 x 19 3/4" 390 x 495mm, plus title and borders.

Good to very good condition throughout with only very slight age toning (as appropriate). 

A group (including a small dog) are gathered at the top of One Tree Hill. The view extends over the tree tops of Greenwich Park, over the River Thames below and towards London in the distance. The distinctive feature of St Paul's is seen in silhouette along with the many spires of the City churches. In the park itself, the outskirts of the Royal Observatory are prominently shown to the left-hand, as so too, down below, is the spire of St Alfege church in the town itself. While the emphasis in this image is of the 'view' itself, one of the cupolas of the Royal Hospital peeps through the foliage of massive branches of trees to the right. The border, which is quite exquisite in itself, appears to be etched rather than engraved, i.e. the work of Elizabeth Ellis.

The printmaker, William Ellis, (1747 - 1810) was the son of an engraver of writing, Joseph Ellis (died 1793). William was born in London and apprenticed to his father’s stationary company from about the age of 13. He later worked in the studio of the printmaker William Woollett (1735–1785). In 1785 he married Elizabeth Smith, also a printmaker, who may have been related to fellow pupil of Woollett, Samuel Smith (c.1809-1879). The couple frequently worked on projects together, including Aiken’s ‘Description of the Country… Round Manchester’. Elizabeth Ellis had already died when William passed away in 1810. An engraving ‘by the late Mr William Ellis’, showing a view of Exeter, was published to raise money for the couple’s five orphaned children. 

Source: https://artcollection.culture.gov.uk/person/ellis-william/