His youthful trip to India alongside his uncle, the painter Thomas Daniell, shaped his artistic sensibility and his taste for the exotic. This formative experience in the East had a lasting influence on his vision of landscape and his mastery of light, elements that characterize his mature works.
Brother of the engraver Samuel Daniell, he grew up in a family environment entirely devoted to the graphic arts. This fraternal emulation probably stimulated his technical research and his improvement in the art of printmaking.
His specialization in aquatint, a complex technique allowing for subtle renderings of light and atmosphere, sets him apart from his contemporaries. This technical mastery enables him to produce works of exceptional quality, combining documentary precision with artistic sensitivity.
His publications reveal a methodical and ambitious artist. "A series of Views of London etc." (1812, 12 color plates) testifies to his ability to document urban architecture, while "Interesting selections of animated nature" (1809-1820, 120 plates) reveals his interest in natural history.
His masterpiece "A Voyage round Great Britain" (1814-1820, four volumes) constitutes an invaluable visual record of the British coast. This monumental project of 308 aquatint etchings, measuring 29 x 20 cm on 38 x 28 cm sheets, reveals a rigorous documentarian as well as a sensitive artist.
"Illustrations of the Island of Staffa" (1818, 9 color plates) completes this artistic geography of the British Isles. These publications established Daniell as a visual chronicler of his time and a leading artistic geographer.
The presence of his works in prestigious global institutions - Dallas Museum of Art, Royal Academy of Arts, National Maritime Museum, Harvard University Art Museums - confirms his international recognition and the lasting documentary value of his work.
