Grosvenor Prints

The idea of pictures being composed in series has been employed by many artists and printmakers, either to illustrate existing narratives or to create new ones. One of the best-known artists to employ this device was Hogarth, whose 'modern moral subjects' such as the Harlot's Progress , Industry and Idleness and Four Stages of Cruelty track the progress (always an ambiguous word in Hogarth's usage) of characters through multiple stages. But while Hogarth was an innovator in many ways, his series also formed part of a well-established tradition of representing narratives in sequence. Many artists and printmakers were involved in elaborate projects to illustrate literary works , as Hogarth himself had been. Sometimes these were small sets, such as these atmospheric illustrations to Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered (to see more images from each series click on the links): Six scenes from 'Jerusalem Delivered' [Various engravers, including Edward Rooker an...

The National Portrait Gallery is currently exhibiting a selection of William Nicholson's striking portraits in a temporary display , including these prints of Whistler and Sarah Bernhardt: James McNeill Whistler. William Nicholson. [London, 1899 by William Heinemann]. Lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut. Printed area: 245 x 220mm. (9¾ x 8¾"). Foxing to edges; mounted on board as issued. From the folio of twelve portraits by William Nicholson published in 1899. Colin Campbell, 'William Nicholson: The Graphic Works': 22B [Ref: 28326]   £160.00   (£192.00 incl.VAT)   Sarah Bernhardt Lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut , 250 x 240mm Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt, published in the New Review in 1897. Colin Campbell, 'William Nicholson: The Graphic Works': 20B £65 (£78 incl. VAT) To see other prints by Nichol...

With George Catlin's American Indian Portraits currently exhibiting at the National Portrait Gallery (the first time they have left America since the 1850s), we have compiled a gallery of our own, published around the same time that Catlin was painting his portraits- click on the images for more information: We also have many more images of  Native Americans predating these- for a fuller list click on this link . Furthermore, we have recently acquired prints from Catlin's own 'North American Indian Portfolio': Wounded Buffalo Bull. No.16. Catlin del._on Stone by Mc.Gahey. Day & Haghe Lith.rs to the Queen. (From Catlins N.A. Indian Collection.) [London: Geo. Catlin, 1844.] Tinted lithograph. 411 x 565mm (16¼ x 22¼"). Tear to lower edge. Buffalo wounded by a spear or arrow in the snow. Abbey Travel: 653.16. [Ref: 29517]   £620.00   Buffa...

To show just how colourful antique prints can be, we've put together a selection which have been printed in colour. We recently showed examples of John Baptist Jackson's work in an earlier post , however he is included here again as his prints of the early 18th century, with different blocks used for printing different colours 'may be regarded as the first genuine ones printed in colours that were ever produced for public circulation by an English artist' (Burch): The Death of St. Peter Martyr John Baptist Jackson after Titian £420 Different colour plates were used for a series of large engravings of the Westminster Tapestries showing the Spanish Armada. We have three of the series, engraved by Robert Pine, which contrast the scene (printed in dark blue ink) with the decorative surround (printed from a separate plate in black): [The Spanish Armada Tapestries - The Spanish anchored at Calais.] VIII. C. Lempriere delin. J. Pine Sculp. Publi...