Isleworth
Seymour Haden was the unlikely combination of a surgeon and an etcher. Although he pursued a very successful medical career, he is mostly remembered for his etched work as well as for his writings on etching. He was one of a group of artists, including James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) and Alphonse Legros (1837–1911), whose passionate interest in the medium led to the so-called etching revival, a period that lasted well into the twentieth century. The extolling of etching for its inherent spontaneous qualities reached its pinnacle during this time. While the line of the etching needle, Haden wrote, was "free, expressive, full of vivacity," that of the burin was "cold, constrained, uninteresting," and "without identity."
To right, view of an harbour seen as from a window with an arch; the left side blank.
'Isleworth' (S. 76a) and 'Kew Ait' (S. 76.B) used to be a single print (S. 76) before Haden decided to divide them.
"Published State: First.-The bur of the line is reduced."
[Source: Harrington, p. 41]
"State 1(Ha). The left side of 'Isleworth and Kew Ait' (No. 76) after the plate was etched, printed and divided. The previous inscriptions, foul-bite and faint work to left of town removed. Additional work on the town, and boats and figures have been added in the area previously obscured by bistre drawing."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 189]
To right, view of an harbour seen as from a window with an arch; the left side blank.
'Isleworth' (S. 76a) and 'Kew Ait' (S. 76.B) used to be a single print (S. 76) before Haden decided to divide them.
"Published State: First.-The bur of the line is reduced."
[Source: Harrington, p. 41]
"State 1(Ha). The left side of 'Isleworth and Kew Ait' (No. 76) after the plate was etched, printed and divided. The previous inscriptions, foul-bite and faint work to left of town removed. Additional work on the town, and boats and figures have been added in the area previously obscured by bistre drawing."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 189]
Artwork Details
- Title: Isleworth
- Artist: Sir Francis Seymour Haden (British, London 1818–1910 Bramdean, Hampshire)
- Date: 1864
- Medium: Etching and drypoint; first (final) state (Harrington); third state of four (Schneiderman)
- Dimensions: Sheet: 11 7/16 × 9 1/16 in. (29 × 23 cm)
Plate: 6 × 4 5/16 in. (15.2 × 11 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
- Object Number: 17.3.341
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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