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Show 106 travelbooks produced in the early nineteenth century. It is by concentrating now on the art, as representative of nineteenth-century book illustration, that an understanding can be reached regarding the manner in which Bodmer's aquatints have functioned both as document and as art. Tableau 37, The White Castles, was included in the fifth issue of text sent to subscribers of the German edition of Travels. The watercolor landscape of the White Castles was used as the model for Tableau 37. With its traditional composition, panoramic perspective, and romantic subject, it was perfect for travelbook illustration. The proof impression of this tableau (Figure 4.2), etched by Sigismond Himley, is one of the most beautiful of all the landscape aquatints produced for Travels. It clearly demonstrates both Himley's considerable ability as a reproductive etcher and Bodmer's reliance on the established travelbook tradition.35 It was not necessary to make any significant changes in the image when translating the watercolor into aquatint and the proof state duplicates all of the watercolor's essential features. The only obvious addition to the aquatint appears to be that a number of birds were inserted into the sky above the castles.36 This proof impression is almost pure aquatint, with the exception of the possibility of a slight amount of definition with the etching needle in the lower left foreground of the image. The aquatinting is suberb, making full use of the technique that can so closely approximate a watercolor. To understand Bodmer's landscape aquatints and Tableau 37.The White Castles in particular, it is useful to examine briefly some of the paintings Bodmer produced for other travelbook publications. These landscapes are |