For centuries Texas has fired the imagination of artists as well as explorers and settlers. Before modern photography, engravings were the principal type of illustration used by artists to portray images of the state. Now, in this extensive catalogue, authors Mavis P. Kelsey, Sr., and Robin Brandt Hutchison have surveyed all engraved illustrations about Texas published before 1900. Engraved Prints of Texas, 1554-1900 presents the whole range of early Texas history as portrayed in published engravings: from the first printed representation of a buffalo in 1554 to a 1900 view of the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston. Entries include information on more than 2,000 engravings, 470 of which are illustrated in this volume. Presented chronologically by century and decade of publication, each chapter features a brief introduction to the historical background of the era, highlighting key illustrations and placing the art within the context of major events of the period. Several topical discussions address subjects that span decades or recur as pervasive themes in illustration. Historians, teachers, and scholars will find this catalogue a useful reference for locating pictorial representations of particular events, subjects, or persons. It is an indispensable source for lovers of Texas history and an important contribution to preserving the visual record.
