Panorama of Lisbon, Portugal, 1856

Mounted in album with PAI4673-PAI4680, PAI4682-PAI4716.; No.9. No. 9 in Fanshawe's Baltic and later album, 1843-1883. Fold-out panoramic drawing on four joined sheets. The two on the left and the one on the far right are fold-outs from the fourth, which is stuck down on the album page. The page bears the artist's caption, 'Lisbon - Decry 3rd 1856' below the image. This impressive panorama shows the city from approximately south across the Tagus, towards what is now a modern dock area, with the waterfront of the main city centre round to the right. To the far left, he Ajuda Palace can be seen on the hill above Belem and the Jeronimos Monastery is probably the large building below to its left, though the Tower of Belem is not easily distinguishable. The sea lies down-river to the left. Today this viewpoint is dominated by the Bridge of the 25th May (originally the Salazar Bridge) crossing the Tagus from the heights just to the right of the white-sailed boat, centre left, and disappearing out of frame to the left. From the viewpoint Fanshawe has taken, the bridge deck would probably appear to be just above the peak of the boat's sail. His ship, 'Centurion', may be the one shown at anchor far right, but appears a little small for an 80-gun two-decker. Fanshawe was at Lisbon on five occasions from 1835 to 1861, the earlier ones quite lengthy. This 'highly-finished panorama sketch of the town of Lisbon and the river', made in 1856, is briefly mentioned in his 1904 biography, p. 346.
Edward Gennys Fanshawe

Original size: 226 mm x 1300 mm