Great views of our city (From York Press)

Great views of our city

8:16am Tuesday 10th April 2012 in History articles

Welcome to our new regular feature, in which we will bring you each week a different view of York down the centuries, as captured by an artist.

All the paintings and sketches featured are included in the Views Of York exhibition showing at Fairfax House until August 31.

The exhibition features more than 100 paintings and sketches of the city since 1610, many loaned from private collections or galleries around the country.

This week, we have Edmond Barker’s 1718 etching, The South East Prospect Of The Ancient City Of York, which is on loan from Ken Spelman.

Barker was an engraver and print-publisher with premises in Coney Street, writes exhibition curator Peter Brown in his catalogue.

This etching, the first commercially produced “prospect” of York, shows the city from Lamel Hill.

“As well as the Minster, Barker features 23 of the parish churches but only one secular building – an imposing mansion built by General Thomas Fairfax,” Mr Brown writes.

After passing to the Duke of Buckingham, the house was pulled down in the 18th century – but why not see if you can spot it here?

• The Views Of York exhibition at Fairfax House runs until August 31.