Broadwell, The Seat of Danvers Hodges, plate 157 from "The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire"

Art Historical Context

This exquisite hand-colored etching and engraving titled *Broadwell, The Seat Danvers Hodges*, captures the grandeur of a Gloucestershire country estate in plate 157 from Sir Robert Atkyns's *The Ancient and Present of Gloucestershire* (1712, reissued 1768). Created by Dutch engraver Johannes Kip after designs possibly linked to patron Danvers Hodges, it offers a detailed bird's-eye view of the house, manicured gardens, expansive landscapes, and heraldic coat of arms—hallmarks of 18th-century British gentry life. Such topographical prints celebrated the nobility's domains, blending architecture with idyllic countryside. Kip's precise engraving technique, enhanced by contemporary hand-coloring, brings vivid life to the scene, with subtle washes highlighting lush greenery and stone facades. Measuring about 14 by 17 inches on the plate, this medium-sized print was ideal for bound volumes, making elite estates accessible to a wider audience through affordable reproductions. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection (bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019), it reflects the era's fascination with antiquarianism and county histories, preserving vanishing rural splendor amid England's evolving landscape. A window into Georgian heritage, it invites us to imagine strolling those historic grounds.