TURNER, After Charles (1774-1857), and Joseph BARNEY (1751-1827)

The Woodman at Labor; The Woodman's Repast

London: G. Frailing at Mr. Murphy's, 1 December 1799 and 11 December 1799. Mezzotints, printed in colours and finished by hand, by G. Frailing, after Barney (the first title) and Turner (the second). Image size (including text): 18 3/4 x 15 7/8 inches approx. Sheet size: 21 1/2 x 17 1/8 inches and 21 3/4 x 17 1/2 inches.

A fine pair of images of the rural life of a wood-cutter and his family.

Charles Turner is known chiefly as a mezzotint engraver: an area in which he gained a well-deserved reputation for excellence. His best known work in this field was for J.M.W. Turner's 'Liber Studiorum'. The present print supports the assertion that he 'was a [also] good original draughtsman... [He] engraved from his own drawings portraits of J. M. W. Turner, Michael Faraday, William Kitchiner, Joseph Constantine Carpue the surgeon, and John Jackson the pugilist' (DNB). Joseph Barney came to London at sixteen and 'studied under Zucchi and Angelica Kauffmann. He gained a premium at the Society of Arts in 1774, and whilst quite young was appointed drawing master at the Royal Military Academy. He held this post for twenty-seven years. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1786. He dealt at first with classical, and afterwards with religious subjects; later he painted domestic life, and... finally... flower painting in the service of the prince regent' (DNB).

Item #6622

Price: $3,000.00