Somerset House

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Leendert Knijff, better known as Leonard Knyff, was born in Haarlem in 1650 and followed his brother Jacob (also an artist) to London at some point after 1676. In 1694, Knyff was made a British citizen. He began his career painting still lifes but became better-known in Britain for his views of gardens and country houses. The birds-eye view format, which was popularised in the UK by Knyff, is thought to have first been introduced to the British landscape tradition by his brother, Jacob.
Johannes Kip, an engraver, draughtsman and dealer, was born in Amsterdam in 1653 but later worked in Britain. He was associated with the court of William of Orange and moved to London shortly after William landed in England with his forces in 1688 to claim the English crown. Kip produced a large body of work for British publishers, ‘Britannia Illustrata’ being one of his most important projects.

Places

England, London

Subjects

rowing boat, topography, townscape/cityscape, river, coat of arms, garden, street, government building, house, fountain, courtyard, barge/canal boat, sailboat

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

Leonard Knyff (1650 - 1722)
Johannes Kip (1653 - 1722)

Title

Somerset House

Date

published 1707

Medium

Coloured engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from Parker Gallery, March 1965

GAC number

6900