AFTER THE WAR, A NATION LOOKED HOME

Bryant, William Cullen (1794–1878)

Picturesque America or the Land We Live [Two Volumes - Complete]

Easton Press, 2012. Limited Edition 103/400.

A MAGNIFICENT EASTON PRESS RE-CREATION OF ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST AMBITIOUS ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.
Issued in a strictly limited edition of only 400 numbered sets, this handsome Easton Press facsimile faithfully reproduces William Cullen Bryant's monumental celebration of the American landscape.

Originally published by D. Appleton & Co. in 1872–1874, Picturesque America united the nation's leading writers, engravers, and artists in an extraordinary publishing achievement that encouraged Americans to rediscover their country through its scenery, landmarks, and natural wonders following the Civil War.

Reproducing all 49 steel engravings and more than 900 wood engravings from the original edition, these imposing folio volumes remain among the finest modern reproductions of a nineteenth-century American illustrated classic. The exceptional production quality, coupled with premium materials and limited availability, makes this edition highly desirable for collectors of Americana, fine press, and illustrated books.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Complete in two volumes. Bound in full brown Italian cowhide leather supplied by Cortina Leathers, elaborately decorated in black with gilt titles and ornaments on the covers and spines, faithfully replicating the distinctive design of the original nineteenth-century edition. Printed on specially milled Mohawk Superfine Soft white paper. Quarto (13 inches tall).

Volume I: viii, 568 pages.
Volume II: vi, 576 pages.

Illustrated throughout with 49 steel engravings and more than 900 wood engravings after works by many of the leading American artists of the nineteenth century, including Thomas Moran and J. W. Hill.

CONDITION: No flaws or blemishes. An exceptionally well-preserved set showing no significant signs of use or handling. Gift Quality.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: REBUILDING A NATION THROUGH LANDSCAPE —
 Published during the decade following the Civil War, Picturesque America offered readers a unifying vision of the nation's shared natural heritage. Rather than emphasizing political divisions, Bryant and his contributors celebrated mountains, rivers, forests, cities, and historic sites, helping foster a renewed sense of national identity through the American landscape itself.

A PUBLISHING LANDMARK.
The original Picturesque America ranks among the great illustrated publishing achievements of nineteenth-century America. Combining literary essays with hundreds of engravings based upon original artwork by leading landscape painters and illustrators, it established a new standard for large-format American gift books and influenced how generations of readers envisioned the country's natural beauty.

THE EASTON PRESS EDITION.
This limited Easton Press edition faithfully preserves both the visual richness and physical grandeur of the original while employing modern archival materials and fine craftsmanship. Its full leather binding, specially milled paper, and meticulous reproduction of the original illustrations make it one of the finest modern facsimiles of this American classic.

SUBJECTS: William Cullen Bryant; Picturesque America; Easton Press; Limited Editions; American Landscape; Steel Engravings; Wood Engravings; Thomas Moran; Americana; Fine Press, Americana; Illustrated Books; Fine Bindings; Easton Press; American History; Art History.

Item #22234

Price: $500.00