The Lord Coutanche Library is delighted to announce a recent and particularly attractive donation: a group of historic prints depicting scenes of Jersey. What makes this collection especially notable is its delicate hand-colouring: an unusual feature that brings these views vividly to life.
The prints span nearly a century and capture a range of landscapes, from well-known landmarks such as Elizabeth Castle (1783) and Mont Orgueil Castle (1777), to rural scenes like Grève de Lecq Valley (1855). Together, they offer a varied picture of the Island’s coastline, countryside, and built environment.
Several views highlight Jersey’s maritime character, including St Aubin’s Bay and St Helier’s Port (both c. 1838), where ships, harbour activity, and shoreline settlements are animated by subtle colour. Other coastal scenes, such as St Catherine’s Bay, present a quieter, more tranquil perspective.
The collection also includes perspectives on daily life and industry. View from South Hill, St Helier (1855) captures the growing town, while The Stone Quarry, Mount Mado (c. 1838) offers a striking glimpse of the Island’s working landscape.
Hand-coloured prints such as these occupy an intriguing place in the history of printmaking. Many engravings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were issued in black and white, with colour added by hand either at the time of publication or later to increase their appeal. As a result, each coloured impression is subtly unique, reflecting the individual touch of the colourist.
This individuality can be seen particularly clearly in several pairs within the donation. Different impressions of Grève de Lecq, St Helier’s Port, and Elizabeth Castle, all printed from the same engraved plates, have been coloured in noticeably different ways. Variations in the treatment of sky, sea, buildings, and figures create distinct atmospheres, demonstrating how hand-colouring could transform the character of an image.
Two impressions of Grève de Lecq show how hand-colouring could vary from one example to another. Differences in the sky, hills, and buildings create distinct moods despite the identical engraved image.
Printed from the same plate, these views of St Helier’s Port demonstrate how colourists could emphasise different elements: ships, figures, or landscape, through varied use of colour.
These two impressions of Elizabeth Castle (1783) highlight the transformative effect of hand-colouring. One remains close to monochrome, while the other introduces colour to enhance atmosphere and detail.
Taken together, these prints provide a rich visual survey of Jersey across nearly a century: its castles and coastline, rural valleys and growing towns, harbours and industries.
We are most grateful to the donor for this generous gift. These prints significantly enrich the Lord Coutanche Library’s collections and will be catalogued and made available for consultation.
To discover more from the Lord Coutanche Library collections, browse our online catalogue or contact the Library library@societe.je to begin your exploration.
