Catalogue 144: The Birth of Mezzotint! 👼
Cover:
N. de Largilliere Pinx. I.Beckett fe.
I. Smith ex. [n.d., c.1686.]
Mezzotint. 370 x 270mm (14½ x 10½"). Trimmed to plate, crease in top right corner.
Largilliere's portrait of himself and his family in an ornamental garden with statuary including a female nude and a fountain of a cherub riding on a dophin. He stands, leaning against a pedestal, looking down on his wife, who is seated with two small children, to whom she feeds grapes and other fruit. Also depicted are a peacock and a King Charles Spaniel.
CS: Beckett 60, state ii of ii. Ex: Collection of The Hon. Christopher Lennox-Boyd.
[Ref: 65321] £360.00
Catalogue 144: The Birth of Mezzotint!
In the mid-17th century, a groundbreaking new form of engraving was introduced in Europe. During the Restoration, Charles II, who brought his court to London, became a catalyst for the flourishing of new ideas, and the arts thrived. Leading publishing houses like Browne & Tompson were at the forefront, producing an exceptional range of mezzotints, the innovative new technique.
This catalogue focuses primarily on the 17th century and is dedicated to Christopher Lennox-Boyd, the foremost collector of mezzotints ever. Learn more about his legacy here.
Take a moment to explore and enjoy this unique collection—we won't be able to offer anything like this again.
British portraits
Foreign portraits
Music
Decorative Items
Religious Subjects
Views Overseas
Science
Military
Naval
Satire
Classical Subjects
Engravers include:
Isaac Beckett
Abraham de Blois
Abraham Blooteling
Alexander Browne
J Cooper
Richard Tompson
Robert Williams
View the whole catalogue here
[Nell Gwyn as Cupid] Had Paris seen her, hee had chang'd his suit...
P. Cross. R Tompson excudit.
[n.d. c.1672]
Very rare and fine mezzotint, sheet 235 x 150mm (9¼ x 6"). Trimmed and glued to backing sheet. Time staining in poem.
A very sensual half-length portrait of Eleanor (Nell) Gwyn (c.1650 –87) depicted as Cupid, nude with wings on her back and holding an arrow, with a poem praising her beauty below. Gwyn (also spelled Gwynn and Gwynne) was an actress and mistress of King Charles II, Sir Peter Lely painted many portraits of her. Peter Cross (c.1645-1724) was the son of a freeman of the Drapers' Company and was probably born in London. It is not known how Cross learned miniature painting, but early in his career he won a number of important commissions, and in 1678 succeeded Nicholas Dixon as limner-in-ordinary (miniature painter) to the king. For many years, it was thought that there were two separate artists, Lawrence Cross and Peter Cross. This was the result of a misinterpretation of Peter Cross's later elaborate curling monogram that seems to read 'LC', and also because of confused references by George Vertue, an early 18th century collector of facts about British art.
CS19. Blackett-Ord T36 II of II. Ex: Collection of The Hon. Christopher Lennox-Boyd. Collection Earl of Stradbroke, Henham Hall & Christopher Mendez.
[Ref: 65039] £1,200.00
The Battle of the Boyne, July 1st 1690. From the Original in the Collection of the Earl of Leicester.
Wyke Pinx.t. [Engraved by John Brooks.]
Sold by Tho.s Jefferys at Charing Cross, & W. Herbert on London Bridge [n.d., c.1750].
A large and rare mezzotint. 460 x 710mm (18 x 28"), with
18th century watermark. Trimmed close to plate, repair with loss of
background image top right, long tear and cracks to three binding folds
repaired.
A large battle scene, centred on William
III on his white horse, surrounded by his officers, named in a key
bottom left, with Frederick Herman de Schomberg, who was killed in the
battle, prominent on the right. The main sites of the battle are listed
in a key bottom right. Originally Chaloner Smith listed this state as
Engraver Not Ascertained; however his addenda describes a single
example of a state with letters but no key (suggesting a separate key
plate) with 'I Brooks fecit'. According to the British Museum, John
Brooks learned mezzotint from John Faber and set himself up publishing
mezzotints in his native Dublin. He moved to London in 1746 with his
apprentices James McArdelll and Richard Houston.
CS Engraver not Ascertained 120, Addenda 33a, state ii of iii.. Ex: Collection of The Hon. Christopher Lennox-Boyd.
[Ref: 65138] £900.00
[Drawn & etched by Stefano Della Bella.]
[n.d., c.1680.]
22 etchings (of 24). Each c. 90 x 110mm (3½ x 4¼"), mounted together on two album sheets. Narrow margins, creasing where glued at corners.
The title page and 21 numbered etchings of animals and birds (lacking 5, recumbent lion & 14, girl and goat). Originally published c.1641 by Pierre Mariette in Paris: these are from the third state, with Mariette's name erased from the title.
See BM 1871,0513.56 for the second state of the title.
[Ref: 65557] £680.00
