The Old Print Shop

The Hudson River-Port-Folio. [Complete set of 20]. [Hudson River Portfolio].

  • ARTIST: William Wall

  • PUBLISHER: Published by Henry I. Megarey New York.

  • MEDIUM: Aquatint and engraving handcolored,

    DATE: 1821-1825.

  • EDITION SIZE: Average image size 14 1/8 x 21 1/8" (359 x 537 mm).

  • DESCRIPTION: Plate numbers and titles are the following: 1. Little Falls at Luzerne; 2. Junction of Sacandaga & Hudson Rivers; 3. View near Jessup’s Landing; 4. Rapids above Hadley’s Falls; 5. Hadley’s Falls; 6. Glens Falls; 7. View near Sandy Hill; 8. Baker’s Falls; 9. View near Fort Miller; 10. Fort Edward; 11. Troy from Mount Ida; 12. View near Hudson; 13. Hudson; 14. Newburgh; 15. View/Fishkill looking to West Point; 16. West Point; 17. View near Fishkill; 18. View near Fort Montgomery; 19. Palisades; 20. New York, from Governors Island. The original proposal for “The Hudson River Port-Folio” was for twenty-four prints; however, only twenty were ever published between 1821 to 1825. There are three known states with changes in the publishers. The set was reissued in 1828 by G. & C. H. Carvill. This is a collection of different states, the majority are first. William Guy Wall (1792-1864) was one of the first artists in America to record the beauty of the Hudson River scene. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1792 and came to New York in 1818. In 1821, the publisher, Henry I. Megarey announced the publication “now publishing the Hudson River-Port-Folio from drawings by Wall made in 1820, to be completed in six numbers of four prints each.” Originally, the plan was to have John Rubens Smith engrave the plates. Although he did engrave a few of the images, the majority were engraved by John Hill (1770-1850), who also colored a number of the first edition sets.

  • ADDITIONAL INFO: A wonderful collection, all beautifully framed in gold leaf with empire mats and rag backs.

  • CONDITION: Generally in good condition and color. There are three that have a crease up the center as some sets were folded. Sixteen are first state, two are second state, and two are third state.

  • REFERENCE: Deak #320. Koke #75-94.