A fine example of the FIRST EDITION, IN THE RARE ‘SPECIAL’ FORMAT ISSUE with the plates mounted on card intended to imitate water colour drawings. Edward Dodwell F.S.A. (1767-1832) was an archaeologist and draughtsmen educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1801 he visited Greece with Sir William Gell touring the Ionian Islands and the Troud. He travelled again in 1805-06 although this time as a French prisoner of war. He was allowed by his captors to explore the mainland as well as more time in the Ionian Islands. Whilst in Greece he made about 400 drawings and spent much of the remainder of his life in Italy. This body of work went to illustrate a few publications the most notable of which is this ‘Views in Greece’ first published in 1821. It is generally considered one of the finest colour plates publications on Greece.

These superb plates were issued in six parts between 1819 and 1821. The work was originally intended to consist of 60 plates, in twelve parts. They drew on the drawings made by Dodwell and his fellow artist Simone Pomardi. Interestingly in most cases the plates identify their actual colourist often the engraver. Abbey noting that ‘the plates are of good quality and the colouring is certainly above the average’. Atabey 357; Abbey Travel, 130; cf. Blackmer 493; Colas 876; Mallalieu ‘Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists’; Prideaux pp. 234 & 334; Tooley 182.