“Glamis Castle,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c.1880, Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving printed by Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893), published by William Mackenzie; sheet 10½ × 8 in., image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in., unsigned as issued.
A richly atmospheric Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Glamis Castle, illustrated by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s monumental Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland (c.1880). This rare winter scene captures the legendary Scottish castle—ancestral seat of the Earls of Strathmore—set against a dramatic sky and framed by snow-laden grounds.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century woodblock engraving presents Glamis Castle in the stillness of winter, rendered with Lydon’s signature delicacy and dramatic composition. The viewer approaches the castle through a wide, snow-covered avenue bordered by towering leafless trees whose dark, intricate branches create a natural frame. The muted sky—soft grays tinged with pale light and drifting clouds—establishes a poetic, almost theatrical mood.
The castle itself rises majestically from the snowy landscape, its central tower and conical turrets meticulously detailed. The Valentine-card symmetry and tonal gradations highlight both the romantic mythos of Glamis—famous from Shakespeare’s Macbeth—and the Victorian fascination with medieval revival architecture. Subtle touches, such as the flock of birds silhouetted against the sky, animate the crisp stillness of the winter atmosphere.
Printed with Fawcett’s multi-block Baxter-process, the plate exhibits transparent layering of grays, neutral blues, umbers, and delicate winter tones. Each block contributed to the depth, texture, and nuance of the scene, producing one of the most visually striking plates in the Picturesque Views series. This print stands as both a historical record and a masterwork of 19th-century British color printing.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
A master of architectural and landscape illustration, Lydon brought extraordinary sensitivity to tone, natural light, and structural detail. Trained within the natural history circle surrounding printer Benjamin Fawcett, Lydon illustrated numerous celebrated Victorian books. His ability to capture atmospheric effects makes his estate views particularly prized by collectors.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
One of the greatest 19th-century English color printers, Fawcett perfected the Baxter-process of multi-block color wood engraving. Working from Driffield, Yorkshire, he elevated the technique to its finest expression, producing subtle, transparent color layers unmatched by most contemporaries. His decades-long partnership with Lydon produced some of the most admired illustrated books of the Victorian era.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
London-based publisher of high-quality illustrated volumes, Mackenzie issued many landmark series. The Picturesque Views volumes remain essential visual records of aristocratic British estates, many of which no longer survive in their 19th-century form.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Glamis Castle,” c.1880. Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving from Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland. Sheet 10½ × 8 in.; image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in. Vibrant color, crisp detail, very good condition; never framed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Glamis Castle
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie
Date: c.1880
Medium: Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving (multi-block, approx. 8 colors)
Sheet Size: 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Strong original color, clean sheet, excellent impression; never framed or displayed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified as an original period woodblock print from the Lydon–Fawcett Picturesque Views series.
Provenance
Published by William Mackenzie, London (c.1880)
Private British collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
“Glamis Castle,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c.1880, Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving printed by Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893), published by William Mackenzie; sheet 10½ × 8 in., image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in., unsigned as issued.
A richly atmospheric Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Glamis Castle, illustrated by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s monumental Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland (c.1880). This rare winter scene captures the legendary Scottish castle—ancestral seat of the Earls of Strathmore—set against a dramatic sky and framed by snow-laden grounds.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century woodblock engraving presents Glamis Castle in the stillness of winter, rendered with Lydon’s signature delicacy and dramatic composition. The viewer approaches the castle through a wide, snow-covered avenue bordered by towering leafless trees whose dark, intricate branches create a natural frame. The muted sky—soft grays tinged with pale light and drifting clouds—establishes a poetic, almost theatrical mood.
The castle itself rises majestically from the snowy landscape, its central tower and conical turrets meticulously detailed. The Valentine-card symmetry and tonal gradations highlight both the romantic mythos of Glamis—famous from Shakespeare’s Macbeth—and the Victorian fascination with medieval revival architecture. Subtle touches, such as the flock of birds silhouetted against the sky, animate the crisp stillness of the winter atmosphere.
Printed with Fawcett’s multi-block Baxter-process, the plate exhibits transparent layering of grays, neutral blues, umbers, and delicate winter tones. Each block contributed to the depth, texture, and nuance of the scene, producing one of the most visually striking plates in the Picturesque Views series. This print stands as both a historical record and a masterwork of 19th-century British color printing.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
A master of architectural and landscape illustration, Lydon brought extraordinary sensitivity to tone, natural light, and structural detail. Trained within the natural history circle surrounding printer Benjamin Fawcett, Lydon illustrated numerous celebrated Victorian books. His ability to capture atmospheric effects makes his estate views particularly prized by collectors.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
One of the greatest 19th-century English color printers, Fawcett perfected the Baxter-process of multi-block color wood engraving. Working from Driffield, Yorkshire, he elevated the technique to its finest expression, producing subtle, transparent color layers unmatched by most contemporaries. His decades-long partnership with Lydon produced some of the most admired illustrated books of the Victorian era.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
London-based publisher of high-quality illustrated volumes, Mackenzie issued many landmark series. The Picturesque Views volumes remain essential visual records of aristocratic British estates, many of which no longer survive in their 19th-century form.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Glamis Castle,” c.1880. Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving from Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland. Sheet 10½ × 8 in.; image approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in. Vibrant color, crisp detail, very good condition; never framed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Glamis Castle
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie
Date: c.1880
Medium: Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving (multi-block, approx. 8 colors)
Sheet Size: 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Strong original color, clean sheet, excellent impression; never framed or displayed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified as an original period woodblock print from the Lydon–Fawcett Picturesque Views series.
Provenance
Published by William Mackenzie, London (c.1880)
Private British collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Image 1 of 7
Image 2 of 7
Image 3 of 7
Image 4 of 7
Image 5 of 7
Image 6 of 7
Image 7 of 7
