Köllner, Augustus “Natural Bridge” [at top] “Virginia”

Augustus Köllner.  “Natural Bridge” and at top “Virginia”. From Views of American Cities. 

New York & Paris: Goupil, Vibert & Co., 1848.  11 1/4 x 7 3/8 (image) plus full margins.  Lithograph by Isidore-Laurent Deroy.  Printed by Cattier.  Original hand color.  Deak: 560.  Three repaired tears in margins, one to just inside border at right.  Slight spotting at right margin.  Lovely image and appearance. 

Augustus Theodore Frederick Adam Köllner, born in Wurttenberg in 1812, worked as an artist, engraver and lithographer in Stuttgart and Paris before emigrating to America in 1839.  Köllner settled in Washington where he continued as a professional draftsman and also began to make drawings of American scenery.  In 1840 he moved to Philadelphia, meeting P.S. Duval, who hired Köllner to draw illustrations for Duval and Huddy’s U.S. Military Magazine.  Köllner achieved considerable success in Philadelphia as a lithographic artist, producing a wide range of prints, including trade cards, labels, and illustrations.  From his earliest days in the United States, Köllner traveled around the country making scenic drawings of his adopted land.  Goupil, Vibert & Co. arranged to publish a series of Köllner’s views beginning in 1848.  Despite Köllner’s ability as a lithographer, the New York and Paris publisher had the prints lithographed and printed in Paris.  54 prints were made, and these views illustrate Köllner’s fluent artistic style.