GREAT INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AS SEEN FROM THE HORTICULTURAL GARDENS

Original 15 inch x 23 inch Engraving titled THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AS SEEN FROM THE HORTICULTURAL GARDENS.

The International of 1862, or Great London Exposition, was a world’s fair. It was held from 1 May to 1 November 1862, beside the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, South Kensington, London, on a site that now houses museums including the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

Printed by Leighton Brothers

The Leighton Brothers firm was established in 1849 by George Cargill Leighton (1826-1895), his brothers, Steven Leighton (1834-1920) and Charles Blair Leighton (1823-1855). Their firm specialized in early engravings printed in color. Experiments in printing wood engravings in colors began about 1850. The two great innovators in this field were Edmund Evans (The printer behind Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane) and George Leighton, who, after forming Leighton Brothers Company produced some of the largest color engravings of the Victorian era. In 1855, the Leighton Brothers printed the first color engraving to be issued in a ‘Christmas Supplement’ for ‘The Illustrated London News’.

One of the primary originators of pictorial journalism was the British, “Illustrated London News”. Established by Herbert Ingram (1811-1860), the “Illustrated London News” published its initial number in 1842 and continued well into the twentieth century. Throughout its life, skilled artists maintained a very high level of craftsmanship in their illustrative art. Hence, for well over one hundred years, these original engravings have attracted serious collectors who recognize both the historic and artistic value of these images. In fact, one of the first avid collectors of these engravings was Vincent Van Gogh, who, for several years, entertained thoughts of working as an illustrative artist for the publication.

From The Illustrated London News May 24th, 1862

The engraving is in very good condition with one vertical fold and minor edge wear.