Jacob George Strutt Sylva Britannica 1826

These exceptionally etched prints come from the first edition of Sylva Britannica, or portraits of Forest trees, distinguished for their antiquity, magnitude or beauty, drawn from nature and etched by Jacob George Strutt, published in 1826.

Strutt (1784-1867) was a landscape painter and etcher by training, rather than a botanical draftsman. As a result, these tree images showcase superbly famous and distinguished trees in their surroundings. They portray an idyllic time in English history, at least for those who were land owners with large estates. Strutt's early training was in portraiture, but he also excelled in forest scenery. He is best known for Sylva Britannica and a separate book of romantic scenery in Great Britain, Deliciae Sylvarum. Later in Strutt's artistic career, he concentrated on landscapes of the Italian countryside.