First edition, sepia issue. A lovely copy of this rare work. Le Capelain produced the ten views here based on original sketches by Nicolle. The ten views are uncaptioned and feature images of the city, Guanabara Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain and the surrounding hills.
The son of a Jersey printer, Le Capelain (1812-1848) received most of his training in the family business. His artistic talent came to the notice of many with the publication of his watercolour of Mount Orgueil in Moss's Views of the Channel Islands in 1829. He lived in England for a short while in 1832 and travelled to Scotland and France where he continued to paint. On the visit of Queen Victoria to Jersey, he was commissioned to produce an album of watercolours to comemorate it. The Queen was so delighted with The Queen's Visit to Jersey (1847), she asked him to produce a series of views of the Isle of Wight. Sadly, Le Capelain died of consumption before he was able to complete the commission.
Abbey's note is curious, attributing authorship to Le Capelain, who never travelled further than France. Unfortunately, very little is known about Nicolle.
Seven copies of this work located on OCLC. Just two copies have appeared at auction in the past 30 years: one in mordern half morocco, the other disbound.
Provenance: Sotheby´s, the Library of Jacques Levy, April 20, 2012, lot 198.
Abbey, 710. Borba de Moraes, 226.
