Imperial landscapes

"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 [1756-1763]. ... Chapters on Canada, the Pacific, the West Indies, the United States, India, and Australia show how British artists linked colonial territories with their homeland. This is both [an] ... art book and a historical analysis of how British visual culture entwined with the politics of colonization."--Book jacket.