African Scenery has been described as "the scarcest and most valuable of the large atlas folios of South African illustrations.". Daniell arrived at the Cape on 9th December 1799. He was appointed by Lieut.-General Dundas, who became his patron there, and to whom the first volume is dedicated, to act as secretary to a mission to the Booshuanas. The expedition eventually reached Lataku, at that time the limit of European exploration, and was the source for Daniell of the drawings for the present plates. Although the plate imprint states that the plates were engraved by the artist, Sutton argues forcefully that they were in fact engraved by William Daniell. "The African Scenery ... is comparable in skill and execution to the Oriental Scenery. The coloured plates represent local scenery, animals singly or in groups in their natural surroundings, native types, and views of kraals. It may safely be said that never before had drawings of animals been presented so beautifully in their natural scenery ... [other plates] are valuable records of early itinerant life in South Africa."

Hand-coloured aquatint. Colours strong, some faint browning to the edges, otherwise in good condition.