In response to conquests in mid-18th-century wars, Britons developed a keen interest in how their colonies actually looked. Artistic representations of these faraway places, claiming topographic accuracy from being "drawn on the spot," became increasingly frequent as the British Empire extended its reach during and after the Seven Years War. This is the first book to examine the country's early imperial landscape art from a broad comparative perspective. Chapters on the West Indies, Canada, the United States, the Pacific, Australia, and India show how British artists linked colonial territories with their homeland. This is both a ravishingly beautiful art book and a historical analysis of how British visual culture entwined with the politics of colonization.

"The book is beautifully illustrated and produced. It is written with idiomatic directness, drives its narrative forward briskly, and makes acute arguments about the ideological implications of the works examined."—Bridget Orr, Huntington Library Quarterly - Huntington Library Quarterly

"“Highly recommended, this masterful analysis by an eminent historian reveals a fascinating chapter in British political history.”—Marilyn K. Alaimo, Current Books on Gardening and Botany (Chicago Botanic Garden)" - Chicago Bptanic Garden