'View of the Capital part of the Isle of Man'
Date(s): late 18th century
Creator(s): unknown
Scope & Content: Stylised depiction showing sea creature hidden in hill with vegetation, a man pointing a bow and arrow towards it, men harvesting and fishing and vessels at sea (both rowing boats and sailing ship).
Believed to be circa 1790.
Administration / Biographical History: This image is a version of an an engraving by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677), who published several Manx views, including versions of the Daniel King images from the 1650s.
Several other versions exist, with and without the rowing boat and the ship (in various combinations), and / or replaced by rocks, and / or flipped left to right. Some show the ‘hunter’ with a firearm, rather than a bow and arrow, and variations of the anglers in the foreground and the haymakers just behind. At least one version is signed by Hollar, ‘ W. Hollar fecit’, although this version (P.0564) in the MNH collections is not.
An exact copy is held in the Museo de Huesca, Spain where it is called Trampantojo, which colloquially means mirage or illusion.
It is yet to be established what may have prompted its re-use in a Manx context - possibly produced circa 1790. The lettering in the caption has similarities to the styel used on various Manx engravings from the 1780s and 1790s.
Language: eng
Extent: 19.5 x 25 cm
Physical description: Engraving
Item name: print
Collection: Print & Poster Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: P.0564