“Hawkestone,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c. 1880, Baxter-process 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 detailed Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Hawkestone, illustrated by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by master color printer Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland (c. 1880). Featuring the sweeping approach, meticulous Georgian–Baroque architectural detailing, and immaculate parkland, this plate is highly collectible among enthusiasts of historic British estates, Victorian architectural illustration, and 19th-century color woodblock printing.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century engraving presents Hawkestone—a grand English estate once renowned for its architectural ambition and expansive landscaped grounds. Lydon renders the mansion in its full stately symmetry: a long red-brick frontage with classical stone façades, tall sash windows, elaborate chimneys, and projecting corner pavilions that anchor each side of the composition. The central stone block, with its pedimented entry and balustraded parapet, conveys both refinement and aristocratic prominence.
The foreground presents a broad sweep of manicured lawn, creating a sense of openness and emphasizing the estate’s vast scale. Staircases, terraces, and formal approaches frame the hall, while mature woodland rises softly in the background. The sky—rendered with soft greys and blue-green hues—provides a dramatic yet tranquil backdrop that complements the orderly geometry of the architecture.
Printed using Benjamin Fawcett’s masterful Baxter-process, the plate was created from multiple woodblocks, each delivering transparent layers of color. The process achieves extraordinary depth in the red brick, subtle tonal variations in the stone, and finely controlled shading in the sky and foliage. The result is a technically superior and visually luminous print that reflects the peak of Victorian woodblock color printing.
As part of the landmark Picturesque Views volume, this engraving stands today as a rare visual record of Hawkestone’s historic grandeur—especially significant since many estates documented in the series have since been altered or lost.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
Lydon was a leading Victorian draftsman and illustrator celebrated for his precise yet atmospheric renderings of landscapes, architecture, and natural history. Raised under the mentorship of printer Benjamin Fawcett, he became one of the foremost contributors to 19th-century British illustrated volumes, admired for his technical control, delicate palettes, and architectural accuracy.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
Fawcett is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished color printers of the Victorian era. Working from his printshop in Driffield, Yorkshire, he refined adaptations of the Baxter-process, layering multiple color woodblocks to achieve the subtle, transparent tones that define the Lydon–Fawcett collaborations. Their partnership produced some of the most collectible printed works of the 19th century.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
A major publisher of high-quality illustrated books, Mackenzie issued prestigious multi-volume sets blending scholarship with exceptional fine printing. The Picturesque Views series remains a vital historical catalogue of British and Irish country houses.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Hawkestone,” c. 1880. Baxter-process 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. Excellent color and detail. Very good vintage condition, never framed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Hawkestone
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie, London / Edinburgh / Dublin
Date: c. 1880
Medium: Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving (approx. 8 colors)
Sheet Size: 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Excellent color; clean margins; crisp impression; never framed or displayed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified period impression consistent with Fawcett/Mackenzie printing techniques and known plates from the series.
Provenance Chain
Published by William Mackenzie (c. 1880)
Private British Collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC (retired gallery inventory)
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
“Hawkestone,” Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917), c. 1880, Baxter-process 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 detailed Victorian Baxter-process colored woodblock engraving of Hawkestone, illustrated by Alexander Francis Lydon and printed by master color printer Benjamin Fawcett for William Mackenzie’s Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland (c. 1880). Featuring the sweeping approach, meticulous Georgian–Baroque architectural detailing, and immaculate parkland, this plate is highly collectible among enthusiasts of historic British estates, Victorian architectural illustration, and 19th-century color woodblock printing.
Artwork Description
This exquisite 19th-century engraving presents Hawkestone—a grand English estate once renowned for its architectural ambition and expansive landscaped grounds. Lydon renders the mansion in its full stately symmetry: a long red-brick frontage with classical stone façades, tall sash windows, elaborate chimneys, and projecting corner pavilions that anchor each side of the composition. The central stone block, with its pedimented entry and balustraded parapet, conveys both refinement and aristocratic prominence.
The foreground presents a broad sweep of manicured lawn, creating a sense of openness and emphasizing the estate’s vast scale. Staircases, terraces, and formal approaches frame the hall, while mature woodland rises softly in the background. The sky—rendered with soft greys and blue-green hues—provides a dramatic yet tranquil backdrop that complements the orderly geometry of the architecture.
Printed using Benjamin Fawcett’s masterful Baxter-process, the plate was created from multiple woodblocks, each delivering transparent layers of color. The process achieves extraordinary depth in the red brick, subtle tonal variations in the stone, and finely controlled shading in the sky and foliage. The result is a technically superior and visually luminous print that reflects the peak of Victorian woodblock color printing.
As part of the landmark Picturesque Views volume, this engraving stands today as a rare visual record of Hawkestone’s historic grandeur—especially significant since many estates documented in the series have since been altered or lost.
Artist & Printer Biographies
ALEXANDER FRANCIS LYDON (1836–1917)
Lydon was a leading Victorian draftsman and illustrator celebrated for his precise yet atmospheric renderings of landscapes, architecture, and natural history. Raised under the mentorship of printer Benjamin Fawcett, he became one of the foremost contributors to 19th-century British illustrated volumes, admired for his technical control, delicate palettes, and architectural accuracy.
BENJAMIN FAWCETT (1808–1893)
Fawcett is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished color printers of the Victorian era. Working from his printshop in Driffield, Yorkshire, he refined adaptations of the Baxter-process, layering multiple color woodblocks to achieve the subtle, transparent tones that define the Lydon–Fawcett collaborations. Their partnership produced some of the most collectible printed works of the 19th century.
WILLIAM MACKENZIE — Publisher
A major publisher of high-quality illustrated books, Mackenzie issued prestigious multi-volume sets blending scholarship with exceptional fine printing. The Picturesque Views series remains a vital historical catalogue of British and Irish country houses.
Alexander Francis Lydon (illustrator), Benjamin Fawcett (printer), “Hawkestone,” c. 1880. Baxter-process 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. Excellent color and detail. Very good vintage condition, never framed.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance / Gallery Documentation
Title: Hawkestone
Illustrator: Alexander Francis Lydon (1836–1917)
Printer: Benjamin Fawcett (1808–1893)
Publisher: William Mackenzie, London / Edinburgh / Dublin
Date: c. 1880
Medium: Baxter-process multi-block colored woodblock engraving (approx. 8 colors)
Sheet Size: 10½ × 8 in.
Image Size: approx. 7¼ × 5⅛ in.
Condition: Excellent color; clean margins; crisp impression; never framed or displayed
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication: Verified period impression consistent with Fawcett/Mackenzie printing techniques and known plates from the series.
Provenance Chain
Published by William Mackenzie (c. 1880)
Private British Collection
Mitch Moore Gallery Inc., NYC (retired gallery inventory)
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
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