[Savoie]. PARS (William). The lower part of the valley and g - Lot 67

[Savoie]. PARS (William). The lower part of the valley and glacieres of Chamouny in Savoy. The lower part of the valley and glacieres of Chamouny in Savoy. London, Wm. Pars, 1773. 1 copper-engraved view 38.5 x 51.6 cm. on sheet 47.1 x 59.2 cm. hand-colored (worm work in lower margin). Beautiful view of Chamonix, engraved on copper by William Woolett after a drawing by the Englishman William Pars, testifying to his trip to Chamonix in 1770 with Lord Palmerston. Guided by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, they discovered a valley that was still rural, with scattered hamlets and towering glaciers. The landscape depicted features the Mont-Blanc massif, the Bossons and Taconnaz glaciers, and the Arve River bordered by fields and forests. A few isolated farms are visible, as well as a peasant woman with cows. Before being engraved and distributed by William Woollett, the original drawings of these alpine views had been exhibited in London in 1771.