Copper engravings, 280x800 mm each. Two plates from the set of five plates of the “Panorama of the Thames from Westminster Bidge to London Bridge”, published in 1749, considered the most important panorama of London of the time. Professional restorations, some additions to the top and edges, restored tears, text with small defects. Samuel Buck and his brother Nathaniel are among the finest topographical artists to have worked in England. Starting in 1720, first Samuel and then the two brothers toured England, drawing views of cities and towns, castles, antiquities (particularly ruined monasteries), and other landmarks. The crowning achievement of their long career, the most ambitious single view they had undertaken, was this all-important perspective of London taken from the Thames, drawn from five vantage points and then merged into a single continuous panorama, extending from Westminster Bridge downstream to at London Bridge and the Tower of London. While many other artists – including Wenceslas Hollar, Jan Kip, and William Morgan – had published earlier panoramas from similar viewpoints, these early versions incorporated a great deal of artistic license to flatter London. Bucks' image is a faithful representation and its size, detail and accurate depiction of London make it a definitive testimony to the mid-18th century, in a time of rapid change. Adams, London Illustrated, pp. 128-131; Hyde, A Prospect of Britain, plates 40-44