View in Milan, Italy, Washerwomen by the River, Antique Engraving, circa 1820

About this sheet

This antique engraving titled "View in Milan" shows washerwomen at work by a river beneath a ruined tower and a bridge of many arches, an early nineteenth century London line engraving of a picturesque scene in Milan, Italy. The plate carries no publisher's imprint or date.

Rather than the cathedral or the great squares, the engraver has chosen a quiet river scene: women kneel at the water's edge with their washing, a ruined tower rises behind them, and a long bridge crosses the water in the middle distance. Views of this kind, combining everyday life with old buildings, reflect the taste for the picturesque that shaped British images of Italy in the years after the Napoleonic Wars, when travel to Lombardy resumed and Milan was a principal stop on the road from the Alpine passes.

The plate bears no imprint. It is an early nineteenth century London engraving, circa 1815 to 1830, in the style of the Kelly plates in this group, and is probably from a popular illustrated geography or description of Europe issued in parts. The specific location in the city has not been identified, and no source book is claimed. The print is uncoloured and engraved in line, with pleasing detail in the figures and the reflections on the water.

This view in Milan will appeal to collectors of Lombard and Italian topography, genre scenes and Grand Tour prints. It would look charming in a small gilt or light wood frame with a cream mount, and could be hung with the other Italian views in this folio.

The sheet is in good condition for its age, with light toning and scattered foxing in the margins, heavier along the top; the image itself is largely clean.

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.