City of Cork from the West

Engraver Samuel Alken , English, 1756-1815

After Thomas Sautelle Roberts , Irish, 1760-1826

Publisher Thomas Sautelle Roberts , Irish, 1760-1826

Title

Date1799

MediumAquatint and etching

Dimensions

Sheet: 49.1 x 70 cm

Plate: 38.4 x 49.4 cm

Credit LinePurchased, 1986

Object numberNGI.20838.10

DescriptionThe view of Cork is from the west, near St Anne's Shandon, looking down to the city and port on the River Lee. It makes an attractive image, with its graceful foreground tree and cattle in the landscape. Roberts gives a clearer idea of its role as the second largest Irish city in the accompanying text, one of his twelve 'Views in the South of Ireland' (issued in aprts from 1795-99). In 1791, 8,100 houses were recorded, 'about' 73,380 inhabitants, 7 parish churches, 7 Catholic chapels, Quaker, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anabaptist meeting-houses and barracks for 800 men. These artistic and large-scale prints were clearly designed for close study in a domestic library and carfully delineated by the son of Waterford's chief architect, who initially trained for the profession with Thomas Ivory, designer of Dublin's Bluecoat School.