“Brantingham Thorpe,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c.1880, Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving printed by Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893) and published by William Mackenzie; sheet approx. 10½ × 8 in., image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in., unsigned as issued.
A richly detailed Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Brantingham Thorpe, rendered by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s celebrated Picturesque Views of the Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland. This elegant country estate is captured with remarkable architectural clarity and atmospheric landscape detail.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century colored woodblock engraving presents Brantingham Thorpe, a distinguished English country house set amidst sweeping lawns and mature woodland. The composition centers the stately, stone-built mansion with its crenellated parapets, mullioned windows, tall chimneys, and Victorian Gothic detailing—distinctive features that Lydon renders with precision and symmetry.
The foreground expands into a sunlit green lawn, where two elegantly dressed figures and a horse subtly animate the pastoral landscape, highlighting the estate’s serene and noble character. Warm light falls across the façade, emphasizing the texture of the stonework and the subtle shadows of ivy climbing the walls. Trees frame the right side of the scene, their height creating depth and a natural border that guides the viewer’s gaze toward the building.
The sky, softly filled with layered clouds and drifting birds, adds atmospheric elegance without overpowering the architectural subject. The color palette—achieved using the Baxter-process technique with multiple carefully registered woodblocks—exhibits Lydon and Fawcett’s signature harmony of subtle earth tones, greens, and grays. This print stands as both a work of art and a historical record of a Victorian-era estate.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
A prolific Victorian illustrator known for architectural, landscape, and natural history subjects. Lydon excelled in detailed draughtsmanship, creating illustrations that documented the great houses and landscapes of Britain with remarkable accuracy. His partnership with printer Benjamin Fawcett remains one of the most celebrated in 19th-century British color printing.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
One of the foremost color printers of his era, Fawcett pioneered advanced woodblock color printing, introducing refinements that allowed for the delicate tonal layering seen in these plates. His mastery of registration and hand-inking elevated his collaborations with Lydon to some of the finest Victorian illustrated works.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
A leading publisher of luxury illustrated volumes in Victorian Britain. Mackenzie’s editions of Picturesque Views are among the most beloved Victorian architectural surveys, documenting country houses—many now altered or lost—in exceptional artistic detail.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Brantingham Thorpe,” c.1880. Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving from Picturesque Views. Sheet approx. 10½ × 8 in.; image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in. Excellent impression and color; light age toning; unframed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Brantingham Thorpe
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie
Date: c.1880
Medium: Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving
Sheet Size: approx. 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Very good vintage condition; strong color; scattered mild foxing typical of age; never framed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified as an original engraving from the Lydon–Fawcett Picturesque Views series.
Provenance
Published by William Mackenzie, London (c.1880)
Private UK collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
“Brantingham Thorpe,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c.1880, Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving printed by Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893) and published by William Mackenzie; sheet approx. 10½ × 8 in., image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in., unsigned as issued.
A richly detailed Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Brantingham Thorpe, rendered by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s celebrated Picturesque Views of the Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland. This elegant country estate is captured with remarkable architectural clarity and atmospheric landscape detail.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century colored woodblock engraving presents Brantingham Thorpe, a distinguished English country house set amidst sweeping lawns and mature woodland. The composition centers the stately, stone-built mansion with its crenellated parapets, mullioned windows, tall chimneys, and Victorian Gothic detailing—distinctive features that Lydon renders with precision and symmetry.
The foreground expands into a sunlit green lawn, where two elegantly dressed figures and a horse subtly animate the pastoral landscape, highlighting the estate’s serene and noble character. Warm light falls across the façade, emphasizing the texture of the stonework and the subtle shadows of ivy climbing the walls. Trees frame the right side of the scene, their height creating depth and a natural border that guides the viewer’s gaze toward the building.
The sky, softly filled with layered clouds and drifting birds, adds atmospheric elegance without overpowering the architectural subject. The color palette—achieved using the Baxter-process technique with multiple carefully registered woodblocks—exhibits Lydon and Fawcett’s signature harmony of subtle earth tones, greens, and grays. This print stands as both a work of art and a historical record of a Victorian-era estate.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
A prolific Victorian illustrator known for architectural, landscape, and natural history subjects. Lydon excelled in detailed draughtsmanship, creating illustrations that documented the great houses and landscapes of Britain with remarkable accuracy. His partnership with printer Benjamin Fawcett remains one of the most celebrated in 19th-century British color printing.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
One of the foremost color printers of his era, Fawcett pioneered advanced woodblock color printing, introducing refinements that allowed for the delicate tonal layering seen in these plates. His mastery of registration and hand-inking elevated his collaborations with Lydon to some of the finest Victorian illustrated works.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
A leading publisher of luxury illustrated volumes in Victorian Britain. Mackenzie’s editions of Picturesque Views are among the most beloved Victorian architectural surveys, documenting country houses—many now altered or lost—in exceptional artistic detail.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Brantingham Thorpe,” c.1880. Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving from Picturesque Views. Sheet approx. 10½ × 8 in.; image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in. Excellent impression and color; light age toning; unframed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Brantingham Thorpe
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie
Date: c.1880
Medium: Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving
Sheet Size: approx. 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Very good vintage condition; strong color; scattered mild foxing typical of age; never framed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified as an original engraving from the Lydon–Fawcett Picturesque Views series.
Provenance
Published by William Mackenzie, London (c.1880)
Private UK collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
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