File:Stadt Esslingen am Neckar (The city of Esslingen on the Neckar) (BM 1917,1208.187).jpg

Height: 478 millimetres

Width: 367 millimetres

Text from Antony Griffiths and Frances Carey, 'German Printmaking in the Age of Goethe', BM 1994, no.130: The 'Collection of notable buildings of the Middle Ages in Germany' (see also 1978,1007.7 and 1916,0411.61) is one of the most significant products of the revival of interest in German art and architecture of the medieval period. Quaglio, along with his friend Strixner, was closely connected with the Boisserée brothers who stand at the centre of this movement. Between 1810 and 1814 Angelo Quaglio, Dominic's brother, supplied the drawings used to illustrate Sulpiz Boisserée's history of Cologne Cathedral, which was part of the successful effort to get the unfinished nave of the church completed. Dominic began making the drawings that were used in the 'Sammlung' in 1815, when he made a tour of the Altmühltal. It was probably then that he completed the drawings of 'Schloss Kipfenberg' (Trost 53, present location unknown) and 'Schloss Prunn' (Trost 57-9). Three years later, on 18 September 1818, Dominic sent Sulpiz Boisserée the first part of this publication, with the information that he had received over 100 subscriptions within a fortnight of announcing the publication on 15 August 1818 (Trost p. 356). The first eight parts, each of three plates, came out between 1818 and 1821. The first two parts bear the address of J.G. Zeller; parts three to five have the names of Quaglio, Strixner and Zeller; while six to eight give only Quaglio and Zeller's names. A part cost 6 florins; separate plates were available at 3 florins. A second volume contained nine further plates, and was published in three parts by Johann Velten in Karlsruhe after 1821. An album of these lithographs is in the Victoria and Albert Museum (S 11A). Tipped in is a four-side printed leaflet advertising the publications of Velten; it is addressed in manuscript to "Monsieur Engelmann lithographe Rue Louis le Grand, au coin du boulevard, Paris France" and is endorsed on the back "Joh. Velten in Karlsruhe in 8ber 1821" - a remarkable link between Germany and the great pioneer of French lithography. The printed text lists the first 24 plates of this publication and gives a puff: "Herr Quaglio is recognised as one of our leading architectural painters and draughtsmen. This collection of noble remains of buildings of the Fatherland maintains his reputation by combining the individual detail with a painterly appeal . . . Bartsch, whose judgement in these matters is so competent, in his recently published 'Anleitung zur Kupferstichkunde', numbers the architectural sheets of Quaglio among the few lithographs that can hold a place of honour in any significant art collection. The above-named firm has acquired the entire stock of impressions as well as the stones themselves, and has reduced the original price by a quarter, so that art lovers may acquire them more easily . . . This unique collection is being continued, and a suitable text will be delivered free of charge. Purchasers of the first 24 views, which make a bound volume by themselves, can acquire the following plates at 1fl. 30kr. each." This explains the peculiar history of the publication. Obviously the finances did not work out, and Quaglio, Strixner and Zeller eventually had to sell it on to Velten. He did keep his promise to publish a text. A copy of the book in the British Library (Tab. 1215c), with Velten's address on the title page, contains a complete set of plates with an accompanying text by Alois Schreiber, the historiographer of the Archduke of Baden. This is usually confined to a description of the buildings and their history. But occasionally it goes further; the view of Esslingen is said to have been made at the harvest festival of 1817, which explains the procession in the foreground. No-one has yet attempted to distinguish plates from the different editions. Some impressions have Quaglio's blind-stamp (eg. 1917,1208.187); these were doubtless printed before Velten took over. Comparison of impressions shows that there are other differences, especially in damage to the main stone, and (apparently) in a reduction in the number of tint-stones. Some of the lithographic stones, such as 'Schloss Prunn', were copied from Quaglio's drawings by assistants, whose names were erased in later states.