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Bartlett, W. H. (William Henry), 1809-1854

 Person

Biography as described by Art in Embassies, a U.S. Department of State:

"William Henry Bartlett (March 26, 1809 – September 13, 1854) was a British artist, best known for his numerous steel engravings.

Bartlett was born in Kentish Town, London in 1809. He was apprenticed to John Britton (1771–1857), and became one of the foremost illustrators of topography of his generation. He travelled throughout Britain, and in the mid and late 1840s he travelled extensively in the Balkans and the Middle East. He made four visits to the United States between 1835 and 1852.

In 1835, Bartlett first visited the United States in order to draw the buildings, towns and scenery of the northeastern states. The finely detailed steel engravings Bartlett produced were published uncolored with a text by Nathaniel Parker Willis as American Scenery; or Land, Lake, and River: Illustrations of Transatlantic Nature. American Scenery was published by George Virtue in London in 30 monthly installments from 1837 to 1839. Bound editions of the work were published from 1840 onward. His impressions of Canada were collected in Canadian Scenery in 1842.

Bartlett made sepia wash drawings the exact size to be engraved. His engraved views were widely copied by artists, but no signed oil painting by his hand is known. Engravings based on Bartlett’s views were later used in his posthumous History of the United States of North America, continued by B. B. Woodward and published around 1856.

William Henry Bartlett died of fever on board of a French ship off the coast of Malta returning from his last trip to the Near East, in 1854."

NACO Variants

Bartlett, William Henry, 1809-1854

Bartlett, H. W., 1809-1854

NACO URI(s)

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81050110

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

“Schuylkill Water Works”, view from west park boat dock from south across Schuylkill River. [also with 1 mounted copy], n.d.

 Item — Drawer: M-1
Scope and Contents note From the Collection: This collection contains a wide range of items in terms of both content and format. The strongest series contains lithographs, etchings and engravings of various Fairmount Park locations and features- particularly views of and from Historic Houses, park features and the Fairmount Water Works. The bulk of this collection is from the mid to late 19th Century. Eight original carborundum and charcoal prints created by prominent local artists for the Works Progress Administration's...
Dates: n.d.