A Seat in St. James's Park
After George John Pinwell British
Engraver Joseph Swain British
Not on view
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.
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