Ehrenbreitstein, Rhine, Antique Steel Engraving after Birket Foster, circa 1875
€ 150
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
circa 1875
Mapmaker / artist
B. Foster (artist), E.I. Roberts (engraver)
Publisher
William Mackenzie, London, Edinburgh & Glasgow
Technique
Steel engraving
Coloring
Uncolored
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-13194-82
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Light wear to the top left corner; minor nicks to the top edge. Light age toning; light handling soiling along the edges and a few small spots in the margins. Printed image clean.
About this sheet
A dramatic view of the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein crowning its rock above the Rhine. The massive walls and bastions catch a burst of light on the summit while storm clouds pile up across the sky and smoke drifts from the hillside at right. Below, the town lines the riverbank and a row of masted boats lies moored along the quay.
In the foreground boatmen pole and row heavily laden craft across the water, and on the stone embankment at right several figures rest and talk beside their bundles. Distant buildings line the far shore at left, and birds skim low over the broad, glassy river.
Ehrenbreitstein stands on the right bank of the Rhine opposite Koblenz, at the meeting of the Rhine and Moselle, and the fortress seen here was rebuilt by Prussia in the early nineteenth century as a major stronghold. The plate is lettered "EHRENBREITSTEIN." and credits B. Foster (Birket Foster) as artist and E.I. Roberts as engraver, with the imprint of William Mackenzie of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It is a steel engraving with a striking range of tone, from the near black of the shadowed hillside to the brilliant light on the fortress and the clouds. The engraver handles the stormy sky with great freedom, in contrast to the tight, careful detail of the boats and figures.
A strong, atmospheric piece for a living room or study, it holds its own in a dark frame with a wide mat.
This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.
