A Series of Practical Instructions

1827. CLARK, John. A Series of Practical Instructions in Landscape Painting in water colours: containing directions for sketching from nature, and the application of perspective, progressive lessons in drawing from the tinted sketch to the finished subject, and examples of the introduction of figures, architectural subjects, particular effects, &c. as connected with landscape scenery. In 4 parts. [6], 24; [4], 35; [4], 26; [4], 25, [1] with [2] pp. of advertisements, illustrated with 56 aquatints including the additional aquatint view of Kensington Palace mounted inside front cover (as called for by Abbey), 41 of the aquatints are hand-coloured. Folio, ca. 290 x 235 mm., bound in original wrappers with aquatint labels mounted on the covers, housed in the original portfolio of three-quarter red morocco, with label mounted on front. London: Printed for Samuel Leigh, 1827. An elaborate Victorian artist's manual by the artist who was best known for the paintings he made after the Battle of Waterloo. The aquatints are of views from nature, descriptive objects, etc. and are mounted in imitation of drawings. Of significant interest is the second part, which deals with colour, and which is illustrated with 106 hand-coloured examples of different colours. The four parts are comprised as follows: Part 1: Sketching from Nature. Pencil Drawing. Simple Rules of Perspective Part 2: Staining of Sketches. Tinting of Sketches. Light and Shade. Drawing in Colours Part 3: Painting in Water Colours. Effects at Different Periods of the Day. Herbage. Plants &c., for Foregrounds. Architecture Subjects, and Groups of Figures as Applicable to Landscape Scenery Part 4: Peculiar Scenery, Breadth of Light and Shade, Variously Situated Lights, Animals. Characteristic Scenery. Effect Touch and Finish. A fine copy of this extremely rare manual. OCLC records only three copies, Harvard, Yale and Cambridge, and only one incomplete copy is listed on ABPC. Abbey Life 112.