| Rudolph
Ackermann
(1764-1834) pioneered
lithography and produced some of the best early colour printing in
Britain, publishing numerous fine illustrated volumes, and
magazines .
He was born on April 20, 1764 in Stolberg.
Apprenticed to his
father a coach-builder, he moved first to Dresden, then to Paris
and eventually to London whilst still working at coach-building. In
1795 he married and set up a print shop at 96 The Strand, moving
the following year to 101 The Strand. He had already taken over a
drawing school originally established at this address by William
Shipley, the founder of the Society of Arts, and maintained it
until 1806.
The first major colour plate book he
published was The Microcosm
of London; (or London in Miniature) which appeared in monthly parts
between 1808 and 1810. Printed on hot-pressed handmade paper, books
were illustrated using coloured aquatints. The architectural
backgrounds were drawn by Augustus Pugin and the figures were drawn
by Thomas Rowlandson. Ackermann originally planned to issue the
book in twenty-four numbers at 7/6d a number, but he soon found
himself obliged to raise the price to 10/6d, and the number of
parts to twenty-six. Successful production techniques and methods
of marketing by subscription prompted him to follow the same plan
with his next publications. For the reproduction of the drawings by
Pugin and Rowlandson, five different engravers were used to produce
the plates: fifty-four by J. Bluck, twenty-nine by J.C. Stadler,
ten by T. Sutherland, ten by J. Hill and one by Harraden. From 1790
. . 1830 the principle process in book illustration was aquatint
engraving. Once the drawing and the engraving had been made, the
colour process began. The engravings might be printed in two
colours, perhaps brown for the foreground and blue for the sky and
distance, the remaining colour would be applied by hand. Ackermann
employed colourists and engravers at his 'Repository of Arts' but
like most publishers he would also have used pieceworkers. Bundles
of sheets to be coloured would be distributed to workers who would
do the work in their own homes. Often the work was done by
children, but sometimes whole families would work together at home
by candlelight.Handcolouring can save money when printing large
plates although people like Ackermann stressed the high cost of
hand finishing. He used poorly paid French refugees and later hand
coloured plate producers used children and stencils.
These should also be included upon
the appropriate subject
page as time allows
16. The Roman Catholic Chapel, Lincoln's Inn
Fields
. . ..Interior. Former Sardinian Embassy Chapel rebuilt after
destruction in Gordon Riots, 1780. /WC2
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF
LONDON (1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. perfect no defects price inc postage
£95 x 5
|
37. Foundling Hospital, The Chapel /WC
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF LONDON
(1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. good margins, good colour
£95 x 8
|
71. Society for the Encouragement of Arts..@
the Adelphi /WC
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF LONDON
(1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. close cut small margins, good colour edge
tear repaired £80
|
14. The Hall and Stair Case, British Museum /WC
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF LONDON
(1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. good margins, good colour £95
|
47. King's Mews, Charing Cross /WC
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF
LONDON (1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. perfect no defects framed with washlined
mount etc price inc postage £125
|
63. The Post Office
from ACKERMANN'S MICROCOSM OF
LONDON (1808) 104
Handcoloured aquatints in three volumes, issued in parts between
1808 and 1810. Published by Rudolph Ackermann, this series is of
interest in setting a new standard for the figures "staffage" in
topographical prints. This was achieved by an exceptional
partnership between Augustus Pugin, who made the architectural
drawing, and Thomas Rowlandson, who added the figures, frequently
caricatures. The majority of the plates were aquatinted by J. Bluck
and Joseph Stadler . .. perfect no defects framed with washhh lined
mount etc price inc postage £105
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** Oxford
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