Lot Essay
A flyer for Miller's engraving issued by John and Arthur Rich, Colnaghi's and 'the Printsellers of Edinburgh' states that 'The View is taken at Mid-day from a point immediately below the summit of Arthur's Seat, on the south side; and comprises most of the interesting objects in the Old and New Town, with the Calton Hill, the Corstorphine Hills, and Dalmeny Park; the windings of the Forth, with the interesting Scenery on its Banks; including, on the north, the Coast of Fife and the Ochills; and, in the extreme distance, Ben Lomond and others of the Grampian Chain'.
The price of the print was 18 shillings, or #1.15.0 for proofs on india paper and #2.2.0 for such proofs 'before the writing is inserted'. In the print the man with a telescope is replaced by two sheep, and the Royal High School is included on the right, without its pediment as it was left late in 1826 after the sequestration of the builder; it was finally completed in 1829. The National Monument on the hill above, with which Williams was closely involved, was begun in June 1826.
A letter from the artist James Giles to Miller's son of 17 September 1883 states that 'Your father attained to eminence some time before I was with him... He also engraved, in 1826, a large plate from Williams' picture of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat - this, I believe, was at the instigation if not the risk of the late Francis Tuckett, who, I have heard your grandmother say, used to sit by him while he was at work' (W.F. Miller, Memorials of Hope Park, London, privately printed 1898, p.158). In 1825 Williams, then in London, had written to Miller asking to see a proof, and according to W.F. Miller 'The artist was paid #12.12s. for the drawing, viii [ie.August] 1824. Half the expences [sic] of the drawing and the engraving for which Miller was paid #140, 'were paid by Francis Tuckett, of Frenchay' (op.cit., 'A Catalogue of Engravings by William Miller', p.xvi).
A further engraving after this composition, also by Miller, was published by Shephard and Elliot of Edinburgh in 1846. In this both the National Monument and the Scott Monument are included, though the lady's parasol is omitted
The price of the print was 18 shillings, or #1.15.0 for proofs on india paper and #2.2.0 for such proofs 'before the writing is inserted'. In the print the man with a telescope is replaced by two sheep, and the Royal High School is included on the right, without its pediment as it was left late in 1826 after the sequestration of the builder; it was finally completed in 1829. The National Monument on the hill above, with which Williams was closely involved, was begun in June 1826.
A letter from the artist James Giles to Miller's son of 17 September 1883 states that 'Your father attained to eminence some time before I was with him... He also engraved, in 1826, a large plate from Williams' picture of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat - this, I believe, was at the instigation if not the risk of the late Francis Tuckett, who, I have heard your grandmother say, used to sit by him while he was at work' (W.F. Miller, Memorials of Hope Park, London, privately printed 1898, p.158). In 1825 Williams, then in London, had written to Miller asking to see a proof, and according to W.F. Miller 'The artist was paid #12.12s. for the drawing, viii [ie.August] 1824. Half the expences [sic] of the drawing and the engraving for which Miller was paid #140, 'were paid by Francis Tuckett, of Frenchay' (op.cit., 'A Catalogue of Engravings by William Miller', p.xvi).
A further engraving after this composition, also by Miller, was published by Shephard and Elliot of Edinburgh in 1846. In this both the National Monument and the Scott Monument are included, though the lady's parasol is omitted