Pugin, A. “Merton College, North Window of the Ante Chapel”

A. Pugin (1812-52).  “Merton College, North Window of the Ante Chapel.”  From A History of The University of Oxford, its Colleges, Halls, and Public Buildings. 

London: R. Ackermann, 1814.  Approx. 8 x 10.  Aquatint.  Original hand-color.  Full margins.  Very good condition.

After David Loggan’s Oxonia, Ackermann’s History of Oxford is the best known of works on that great University.  The plates from this volume are justly respected as perhaps the aesthetically finest views of the city and its colleges, halls, etc..  They stand out for their excellent engraving and rich, subtle color through which detail and nuance are allowed to come forth.  This lovely print of Christ Church Cathedral is a good example of the refined and delicate work that describes this volume.  At the same time, it offers us a glimpse into early nineteenth-century Oxford, a glorious period for the University.