Artwork
Sneehattan
Sneehattan is a print by the Romanticist artist Edward Price. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Edward Price’s print Sneehattan is one of twenty‑one images bound in a brown‑covered volume that pairs each picture with explanatory text. The work is executed as a print and forms part of a larger assemblage of British mezzotints and related printed material collected by the Hon. Christopher Lennox‑Boyd.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a stark mountain landscape, with sharp peaks receding into a misty horizon. In the foreground, craggy cliffs and sparse vegetation give way to a winding river, creating a contrast between dark foreground tones and the lighter, atmospheric background. The title suggests a view of Kashmir, a region celebrated for its dramatic scenery.
Technique & Style
Price employs a limited palette of deep blacks and soft whites, using tonal gradations to convey depth and a sense of mystery. The interplay of strong foreground darkness against hazy, lighter mountains demonstrates a careful handling of contrast typical of 19th‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print belonged to the Lennox‑Boyd collection, a notable grouping of British mezzotints, decorative arts, and printed ephemera assembled by Christopher Lennox‑Boyd. In 2015 the collection entered the Victoria and Albert Museum through the UK inheritance‑tax scheme, bringing Sneehattan into the museum’s holdings.
Context
Sneehattan reflects the 19th‑century European fascination with exotic landscapes, particularly the rugged terrain of the Indian subcontinent. Its inclusion alongside other prints in the bound volume indicates an intent to document and disseminate visual knowledge of distant locales.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Edward Price was a British printmaker in the early 1800s who etched Norwegian landscapes from a trip in 1834.
