3 results found

 
 
EARLOM, Richard (1743-1822) after David TEINIERS the YOUNGER (1610-90)

The Rich Man Being Led To Hell

John Boydell, 1786. Proof before letters. Mezzotint. Not in Wessely.
. Sheet size: 20 1/8 x 28 1/2".

The painting by Teniers the Younger had been acquired by Sir Robert Peel in 1784 and brought to England. It is now in the National Gallery, London. The composition illustrates, in a very imaginative way, a parable related in the Gospel of Luke: a rich man, dying, sees a beggar named Lazarus ascending to Heaven as he is dragged toward Hell. In this image, we don't see Lazarus, but there is a very memorable representation of the rich man, which is far from unsympathetic.

David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690) was the last of the great Flemish masters. The son of a painter, he was married to Pieter Bruegel's granddaughter, and clearly was influenced by the great Flemish master. Like Bruegel, his work was enriched by the study of demonic creatures in Hieronymous Bosch (d. 1516). The original painting is in the National Gallery, London.

Interestingly, Teniers did a mate to this painting which shows Mad Meg (a Flemish folk figure) marching out of Hell with a sword in one hand and a basket of loot in the other, a striking and humorous contrast to the poor "rich" man.

Richard Earlom (1743 - 1822) was one of the best mezzotint engravers in England. His reputation rests primarily on the renditions of Old Master paintings, like this one, that he did for the Boydells. His mastery of tone and light has never been exceeded and is beautifully exemplified in this proof pull.
Earlom has altered Teniers original, adding Cerberus on the left (mixing mythologies in effect) and intensifying the demonic hilarity.

#3400$2,250.00
 
 
EARLOM, Richard (1743-1822) after Franz SNYDERS (1579-1657)

A Herb Market

London: Published by John Boydell, [1779]. Mezzotint printed on wove paper. Very good condition apart from some overall light foxing and a small water stain in the right margin. Top of sheet is slightly trimmed. Plate mark: 16 1/4 x 22 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 19 1/8 x 26 5/8 inches.

A beautifully rendered print after the Dutch master of still life Franz Snyders, from John Boydell's 'Houghton Gallery' series.

This stunning print, reflects Earlom's skill as an engraver as well as Snyder's genius as a painter. Although Earlom studied under the engraver Cipriani, he was essentially self-taught in the art of mezzotint engraving. His meticulous yet delicate technique managed to accomplish new levels of technical superiority not thought possible in mezzotint, and his unique style of creating intricate details and textures allowed him to produce some truly outstanding images. Earlom began a close working relationship with John Boydell in 1774, and he contributed hundreds of engravings to the publisher's Shakespeare Gallery and Liber Veritas series after the drawings of Claude Lorrain.

One of several market scenes by Snyders, the painting on which this fine plate is based was once part of Sir Robert Walpole's celebrated collection of Old Masters at his Gallery at Houghton. In 1779, Walpole's grandson sold the majority of the gallery's contents to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. In an effort to preserve a national record of this important collection, the eminent publisher and print seller John Boydell commissioned several prominent engravers including Earlom to produce a series of mezzotints of Houghton's key works. Known as the Collection of Prints Engraved after the most Capital Paintings in England, Boydell's elaborate two-volume publication of engravings after artists like Van Dyck, Teniers and Rubens was begun in 1781 and eventually completed in 1788. Its finely detailed one hundred and twenty-eight plates were highly regarded, and the project was instrumental in solidifying Boydell's reputation as a preeminent print publisher.

One of the most influential figures in the history of English printmaking, John Boydell was instrumental in re-establishing England's flagging reputation as a creative nucleus of printmaking. He was not only an accomplished engraver and an industrious publisher, but as a print seller, he came to dominate the English print trade. He is probably best known as the originator of The Shakespeare Gallery, which made him one of the most successful print-sellers of his time.

Clayton, The English Print 1688-1802, p. 115-116, 209 & 230.

#12836$750.00
 
 
EARLOM, Richard after J. ZOFFANY

John Heaviside, Esq, Surgeon Extraordinary to the King...

London: Published by Laurie & Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, Aug. 25, 1803. Mezzotint. State ii/ii with engraved inscription in closed letters. Image size: 17 3/4 x 13 7/8 inches. Plate mark: 19 3/4 x 13 ¾ inches. Sheet size: 20 3/8 x 14 ¼ inches .

A lovely impression of this intriguing print of John Heaviside, the Royal surgeon.

This stunning portrait of the surgeon to George III demonstrates Earlom's skill as an engraver. Although Earlom studied under Cipriani and Boydell, he taught himself the art of mezzotint engraving. His meticulous yet delicate technique managed to accomplish new levels of technical superiority not thought possible in mezzotint. Earlom's unique style manages to create intricate details and textures that allowed him to produce some truly outstanding images. In this captivating print, Earlom employs his refined style and painterly use of texture to produce a complex and appealing image. In inspiration and execution Earlom is a master of his art, and this portrait is a testimony to his skill and imagination as an engraver. Unfortunately the Dictionary of National Biography does not have any record of John Heaviside, therefore the particulars of his life and achievements are not readily available, but if this fascinating portrait is any indication he was an intriguing and accomplished individual. According to the text on the print Heaviside is described as George III surgeon. He is shown pointing to a human heart with a skeletal spine in a glass jar in the background.

Chaloner Smith, British Mezzotinto Portraits 22, ii/ii; Russell, English Mezzotint Portraits, and their States 22; O'Donoghue, Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits... in the British Museum 3

#4818$550.00
 
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