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BARKER, Henry Aston.
A Short Description of the Island of Elba,
and Town of Porto-Ferrajo; Illustrative of the View now exhibiting in Henry Aston Barker's Panorama, Leicester Square.
Publisher: London: printed by J. Adlard [for the Proprietor,] 1815
Stock code: 65312
Price: £575 Currency Conversion
First edition. Uncommon. Programme for Barker's topical view of Elba at the renowned Leicester Square Panorama, opened by his father, Robert Barker, in 1793. Barker had been responsible for the drawings for the first ever panorama, that of Edinburgh from Calton Hill, and for those of the view of London from the roof of Albion Mills with which his father established his business in the capital. At this time Henry studied at the Royal Academy School, fellow pupils being Turner and Robert Ker Porter. He travelled widely to ensure the accuracy of the panoramas, and their success was ensured by their currency, when Nelson met Henry in Palermo he shook his hand "and said he was indebted to me for keeping up the fame of victory in the Battle of the Nile for a year longer than it would have lasted in the public estimation" (ODNB). Barker accumulated a considerable fortune, enabling him to retire in 1826 at the age of 48, but the panorama was taken over by John and Robert Burford who had worked for the Barkers; "Until its disappearance in 1861, the Leicester Square Rotunda would put on a new show every year or two in rotation. In all, no fewer than 126 productions were exhibited there" (Comment , The Panorama).
Octavo. (200 × 130 mm). recent drab paper wraps to style. Engraving of "Bonaparte's Flag at Elba" to the title page, folding plate of the panorama. Some foxing, folding plate repaired with archival tissue on one fold, blank strip from the fore-edge missing, but overall very good.
