Benjamin COLE after William Maitland

A Front View of the Royal Palace of Kensington

18 x 12 inches

William Maitland was a Scottish merchant from Brechin who acquired great wealth through trading in Europe before settling in London where he sought to combine his love of the city with his antiquarian interests. He compiled his History of London and issued it in several parts. Although it was sneered at by the academics it achieved great popular acclaim and was a commercial success. The narrative was to be lavishly accompanied by illustrations depicting many of the city's landmark buildings along with numerous maps and plans. Responsibility for the illustrations fell chiefly with William Henry Toms who drew inspiration from an earlier work, the Stowe Survey of London from 1720. Originally published in 1739, Maitland's History was reissued in 1756 and it is in this edition that the illustrations were much embellished and improved.