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Valpariso

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Date

20 January 1849

Artist

Robert Elwes (1819-1878)

Collection

Private Collection

Description

"I left Santiago (the capital of Chile, sometimes written St. Jago) for Valpariso. The way people are conveyed from the capital to the Port does not say much for the progress of civilization in this country. The road is bad, crossing high ranges of hills; but there are neither posts, nor relays of horses." In Valpariso Elwes finds the "Inconstant" which had sailed round Cape Horn his baggage on board.
This is a page from a unique leather-bound volume of Robert Elwes’ travelogue 'A Sketcher's Tour Round the World', first published 1854, (see page 155 for corresponding passage).
The book contains the printed text of the manuscript but remarkably, the monochrome wash illustrations are hand painted by Elwes. The book bears a handwritten inscription ‘Mary F Elwes from her affect. husband Robert Elwes Jan 25 1878’, dated after Robert Elwes became ill at Congham, his Norfolk home. On 28th January 1878 , their youngest daughter Violet noted in her diary: “Papa much worse”. Less than three months later, Robert Elwes died on 17th April aged 58.

Image Licence

Image Credit

Courtesy of a private collector

Location

Valparaíso, Chile

Country

Chile