A Seat in St. James's Park
Londoners from different walks of life are here brought close to one another on a park bench–a soldier, a nursemaid, a well-dressed gentleman, and a poor violin player. This large print, possibly intended for the weekly periodical "The Graphic" as a double-page supplement, was never published because the woodblock (now Victoria and Albert Museum) developed a crack. Just a few proofs on special paper, as here, appear to have been printed. It is a larger and more elaborate version of the subject Pinwell had designed in 1869 as a wood engraving for "Once a Week". That year he also exhibited a watercolour of the composition (Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney) to great acclaim. In fact this print might have been a commission from "The Graphic" to disseminate the watercolour to a wider audience and capitalize on the artist's growing reputation. In April 1869 he was elected an associate member of the Royal Watercolour Society.
Artwork Details
- Title: A Seat in St. James's Park
- Artist: After George John Pinwell (British, London 1842–1875 London)
- Engraver: Joseph Swain (British, Oxford 1820–1909 London)
- Date: 1870
- Medium: Wood engraving on chine volant; proof before letters
- Dimensions: Image: 8 7/8 × 11 13/16 in. (22.5 × 30 cm)
Sheet: 11 13/16 × 15 1/8 in. (30 × 38.4 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928
- Object Number: 28.87.26(2)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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