18th Century Aquatint of Abingdon, Oxfordshire by JC Stadler After J Farington RA 1793

A distant view of 18th century Abingdon, from Nuneham Park, near Oxford. Engraved by JC Stadler after a painting by Joseph Faringdon RA (1747-1821), one of the founding members of the Royal Academy. Farington was an 18th Century landscape artist and diarist. He was particularly known for his careful and accurate topographical drawings of the English landscape. In 1794, he published a two volume "An History of the River Thames" with 76 aquatints, of which this is one. (published by J & J Boydell 1793-6.). He also kept a daily diary from 1793 which is a useful source of information for historians on the art world and politics of the time. Stadler was a German engraver who moved to London and was well known for his engravings for Farington, Thomas Rowlandson and others.