The Old Engravers of England in Their Relation to Contemporary Life and Art
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7 VI l ^ >. I } A_/ OLD ENGRAVERS OF ENGLAND MALCOLM C. ALAMAN THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES 60 g _ t- .aC !3 C a tf * Pi 3*1 ,.* Zp C $ o g* - S o, o g^TS-i '^ o a II3 - ^ C) Cfl ** S .S 3 2 33 w ^ 111 s -a o> It >^ S ^^ Bjsnsn *d ^a* s g o> .a .11 *J o M o -c b ^H iliaiei!CT-S 6042 fl T*- PH 3 -5 .S -3 a^ i-a H *- O .^ o W 5< *-* t5 ^ w S S c ' c i i S 2 .2 e-S 1.^ 5 IH <-! a 'S .5 c o T3 .2 M rf-S -ll P Q\C 5i 3 ^^ c - S ^.o g,^ c g 5^ ) .2 S -3 ^s15 | 'S 5 fe -S o s . fc " a W O3 V< rt flj a 0) O I" e o iJ'-^ft- P O O ^, C 0) r* O3 S,' > s! >> >>.*3 fi 3 111 II J $e on gts'8o be - O O O D, * 45 .fa "5 ^ ^ 1 J 2 *2 T3 MS o ri a S g-S CO CO _2? 2 73 1 | t<I i !58 1"H ~ g, P o S ll|ia--j3 d -S t: | 1 0) >> c -^ .ti tilii* M 5 3 3 o cr 2o. ' 5 2 ^^ C JJ ^ ^ 5 spll^lllSilllO O cd ill^iiiii ^8^ i . w w ,2 c 4J Jj*o S "SIS-* -S JJ o ". S^ to 1 < >^ co i 8 2 3 *i: -J .en *s" mi's 3c <u =33 * .s- '! ,S i e c 'in> cd Irt & ^3 3 rt O% <* *- OD o SiP* a c aS o -o s"2 -6-P! M ^ 3 S ^ ^ i .5 o i^s Sg 2 Sw -5 |*fS cr rf c P 3 , Z2 ' 3S H C = S S <u J3 >> ^^2 rt 1*0 | 3 :K5 ol> Sal "53 :: J3 o ^11 ^ S fe 3 .5 g t. ^1 i 05 llll^^S -S3 oJ C3 _g -C 73 bo^ 9 ro en *r3 ^ T3 <2.2-gH 2.2^-^ itj S B S c: c o S'S js s t: S cd ^ o S ^2 I^- S-P m - ^- I-S* ^ & . il 1 !! ^ ^ * T5 rS *j o ^StJ 2 c a^^s c^^ "^^1 ."^ 'S ^ "2 -2 1-^2 'V8 8^ -o "8 "5 THE COUNTESS OF SALISBURY. FROM THE MEZZOTINT BY VALENTINE GREEN. After Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (See p. 141.) THE OLD ENGRAVERS OF ENGLAND IN THEIR RELATION TO CONTEMPORARY LIFE AND ART (15401800) BY MALCOLM C. SALAMAN AUTHOR OF " WOMAN THROUGH A MAN'S EYEGLASS," ETC. WITH FORTY-EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS CASSELL AND COMPANY, LIMITED LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE. MCMVI ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Libra*? THE PERSONAL NOTE. WHILE attempting, in the following pages, to trace the art of copper-plate engraving in England through, as it seems to me, the most interesting period of its history, namely, from its introduction in the middle of the six- teenth century to its climax at the end of the eighteenth, I have had no thought for that print-collector with whom " " considerations of state and margin are more urgent than the appeal of pictorial beauty or human interest. To him the price at Christie's will count, perhaps, for more than the intrinsic interest of the print, or the life-story of the engraver. And to him these pages would probably say nothing. But to lovers of old times, who would eagerly turn from their intimate delights among the pages of Pepys and Evelyn, Lord Hervey and Horace Walpole, Mrs. Delany, Fanny Burney, Mrs. Montagu, or any of the old chroniclers, diarists or letter-writers, to visualise their impressions with the contemporary prints, to them I venture to hope my pages may serve a little for guidance. There is a charm about old prints quite apart from their quality as engravings. They are links of intimacy with bygone times. The printed page may stir us with vivid passages of history, or quicken our imaginations with the social sidelight, or the contemporary gossip of personal or fashionable import, but the prints of the period bring us at once eye to eye with the people them- selves. So we may see what they actually saw, the very faces and persons of their contemporaries, the costumes they wore, the attitudes they affected. So we may judge the taste of their day in the pictures that responded to it, and in the scenic aspect of their favourite plays. In a word, the old prints revive for us the human atmosphere of a past age. 2039373 iv THE PERSONAL NOTE. As the art of engraving developed in its various branches, and its scope expanded with its larger means, it interpreted contemporary life more and more com- prehensively and intimately. Thus, the latter half of the eighteenth century was pictured on the copper-plate with a copiousness and a wealth of resource, charm and accomplishment, never seen in England before or since. For among the engravers were many artists, and they had a wide choice of medium line, mezzotint or stipple, etching or aquatint, each in its highest development. The engravers were artists, that is the point, not impeisonal, mechanical processes. And there were masters among them. They lived in constant and familiar intercourse for were not with the painters ; they interpreters, copyists, and the painters realised that. So the engravers as artists expressed themselves. Their prints were eloquent of their individuality, and to-day they speak to us across the centuries with the appeal of temperament and per- sonality, as well as of art and the picturesque past. Yet how few seem to feel the appeal of those old artists on copper. Constantly, even their very identity is ignored, " " and the mere tantalising statement From an old print is held sufficient acknowledgment of a debt for some engraving that illustrates the historic or scenic fact, or illuminates the biographical record. For myself, the old prints, as they hang on my walls, around the venerable harpsichord, which was first touched to music, in 1768, by Dr. Burney, Fanny's father, who chose it for the school-friend of my great-grandmother, speak to me with a fragrant charm of personal companion- ship, which lures often to dream-rambles in the long ago. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES : EARLY LINE ENGRAVERS i CHAPTER II. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY : THE LINE ENGRAVERS (continued) ....... 30 CHAPTER III. SEVENTEENTH CENTURY : THE STORY OF MEZZOTINT 60 CHAPTER IV. EARLY EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE STORY OF MEZZOTINT (continued) 81 CHAPTER V. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE STORY OF MEZZOTINT (continued) ....... 100 CHAPTER VI. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE GREAT DAYS OF MEZZOTINT ....... 130 CHAPTER VII. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE CLIMAX OF MEZZOTINT 158 CHAPTER VIII. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE REVIVAL OF LINE ENGRAVING 177 CHAPTER IX. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY : THE STORY OF STIPPLE ENGRAVING 203 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. " " ANONYMOUS MEZZOTINT. The Spruce Sportsman To face p. 174 " " BARTOLOZZI, F. The Orange Girl (after H. Ben- weU) ... 204 " I. Catherine Countess of Dor- BECKETT, " Sedley, chester (after Sir G. Kneller) 72 " " BI.OOTEUNG, A. Catherine of Bragauza (after Sir P. Lely) 68 " THOS. Favourite Chickens : BURKE, " Saturday Morning (after W. R. Bigg, R.A.) 212 " " CHEESMAN, THOS. Lady Hamilton as a Spinster (after George Romney) . ,, (a) 208 " " CONDi, JOHN. William Beckford (after R. Cos- way, R.A.) (b) 214 " DEI.ARAM, F. Betrothal of Charles I. and Henrietta Maria "........ 18 " " DICKINSON, W. Elizabeth Stephenson (after Rev. M. W. Peters, R.A.) " ,,146 Countess of and DIXON, J." Elizabeth, Pembroke, Son (after Sir J. Reynolds, P.R.A.). 126 " " " DUNKARTON, R. Mary Horneck (The Jessamy Bride") (after Sir J. Reynolds, P.R. A.) . 142 EARLOM, R. "The Inside of the Pantheon in the " Oxford Road (after C. Brandoin) . 154 " " EWTRACK, R. James I. and His Queen . 12 " FABER, J. "Margaret (Peg) Woffington (after E. Haytley) 90 " " FAITHORNE, W. Thomas Killigrew (after W. Sheppard) . 36 " " FAITHORNE, W. Lady Castleinaine (after Sir P. Lely) . " ,,40 FINLAYSON, J. Duchess of Hamilton and " Elizabeth, Brandon (after C. Read) . 134 " " GAUGAIN, T. Winter Amusement (after W. Hamilton, R.A.) (a) 216 " " GREEN, VALENTINE. The Countess of Salisbury (after Sir J. Reynolds, P.R. A.) . Frontispiece " " Hou^ui, W. View of London Across the Thames To face p. 48 " HOUSTON, R. Duchess of " Caroline, Marlborough, and Child (after Sir J. Reynolds, P.R.A.). no " " JONES, JOHN. Giovanna Baccelli (after T. Gains- borough, R.A.) . .'... 150 viii INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. " " C. Sweet Poll of T. To KNIGHT, Plymouth (after' face p. Stothard, R.A.) . (6) 208 McARDEU,, J. "Lady Mary Coke" (after Allan Ramsay) .......,, 100 " " NUTTER, WILUAM. The Ale-house Door (after . Singleton) . ,, (a) 210 " ' ' " PAYNE, JOHN. Title-page of Gerard's Herbal 24 " PETHER, WILUAM. The Brothers Smith of Chiches- ter" . 132 " PRINCE RUPERT. The Executioner of the " John Baptist (after Spagnoletto) tt 64 " " ROGERS, WILUAM. Queen Elizabeth . 6 " " RYI<AND, W. W. Cupid Bound by Nymphs (after . Angelica Kauffman) . ,, 202 " " SHARP, W. Lt.-Col. The Hon. Charles Cathcart (after G. Romney) ......,, 198 " " Cibber . SIMON, JOHN. Colley (after Grisoni) ,, 84 " " SIMON, P. Credulous Lady and Astrologer (after J.R. Smith) ... (6) 210 " " SMITH, JOHN. Mrs. Arabella Hunt (after Sir G. Kneller) 76 " " SMITH, J. R. Col. Tarleton (after Sir J. Reynolds, P.R.A.) ..,,166 -" " SMITH, J. R. The Elopement (after George Mor- land) ... (b) 216 " " STRANGE, SIR R. Charles I. in Coronation Robes (after Vandyck) ,, 186 " " TOMKINS, P. W. English Fireside (after C. Ansell) (b) 206 " " VAN DE PASSE, W.