| Title: |
A Gallant Act |
| Engraver: |
Scott, James (London 1809 - 1891) |
| Designer: |
Boughton, George Henry (Norwich, England, 1883 - London,
1905) |
| Date: |
1879 |
| Medium: |
Original Mixed Method Engraving |
| Publisher: |
M. Knoedler & Company, New York |
| Edition: |
Proof before letters |
| Note: |
James Scott: One of the finest engravers of the mid
and late nineteenth century, James Scott was equally talented in the fields
of portraiture, historical, sporting and genre subjects. He was highly
regarded both for his mezzotints and mixed method engravings. |
| |
Scott fashioned a long and distinguished career. He first
gained national recognition for his portrait of the Duke of Wellington
(Sir Arthur Wellesley) published in 1837. During the next fifty years he engraved large designs
after the works of such contemporary painters as Daniel Maclise, Landseer
and George Henry Boughton. Boughton (1833 - 1905) was one of the most
successful genre painters of the late nineteenth century. |
| |
A Gallant Act was commissioned by the New York Publisher,
Knoedler. Knoedler was America's most successful publisher of original
engravings and often acted in partnership with Paris and London publishers.
A Gallant Act is one of James Scott's largest and most highly regarded engravings. |
| |
George Henry Boughton: One of the most popular genre
painters of the late nineteenth century, George Henry Boughton received
his artistic education in Paris. He then initially lived and worked in
New York City and was elected a full member of the National Academy of
Design in 1871. Shortly thereafter, Boughton permanently moved to London,
becoming an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1879 and an Academician
in 1896. He was thus one of the few artists of his time to receive honours
from the most prestigious associations in both America and Britain. |
| |
Although George Boughton was an accomplished landscape artist his
fame rested mostly upon figure studies and genre depictions. A Gallant
Act is typical of his fine work in this area. |
| |
Victorian Mixed Method Engraving: Perhaps the most
technically demanding form of original printmaking in the history of art,
the Victorian mixed method engraving reached its pinnacle of virtuosity
in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. During this time large
engravings were created to hang in Victorian homes. Highly skilled engravers
would often devote more than a full year's labour to one of these large
works of art, often combining mezzotinting, aquatint, stippling, engraving
and etching on the same plate. Such is the case with this fine proof
impression of, A Gallant Act. No other form of intensive craftsmanship
could produce such an outstanding variety of shades and tones as the mixed
method engraving. |
| |
These large engravings became the driving force of the Victorian
art world. In fact, all the famous artists in England and America devoted
their energies to the lucrative engraving market. Painters of international
stature, such as George Henry Boughton (1883-1905), Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896), Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-1873), Sir Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton (1830-1896), John George Brown (1831-1913) and Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema (1836-1912) made their fortunes more by selling engraving
rights to the publishers than by the actual sales of their paintings. This large Victorian engraving entitled, A Gallant Act is an original mixed method engraving |
| |
A gallant Act and other individually published Victorian
engravings are now very scarce. Nineteenth century framers had no knowledge
of conservation methods and thus the majority of these valuable works
of art have simply disappeared or have been unalterably stained and marred
in their acidic matting and frames. Another impression of this very large
engraving in such superb condition would be next to impossible to find. |
| Edition: |
Furthermore, this impression of A gallant Act is
a 'Proof before letters'. This means it was one of the first impressions
to be pulled from the plate before the regular edition was published with
the addition of the title along the lower margins. A proof impression
this contains all the fine lines and subtle shades that would wear down
during the printing of the full edition. |
| Size: |
21 X 34 (Sizes in inches are approximate,
height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
| |
Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| |
 |
| Condition: |
Printed on fine china paper which has been pressed onto
a larger sheet of white wove paper and with full margins as published
by Knoedler in New York in 1879. Bearing the special impressed Printseller's
Association stamp in the lower right margin. In absolutely excellent condition
throughout. A fine proof impression before letters and bearing all the
fine lines and shades of a premier printing. One will never find such
a large original Victorian engraving as this impression of A Gallant Act
in such mint condition. |
| Price: |
Sold - The price is no longer available. |
| Important Information: |
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