A River in Ireland
Sir Francis Seymour Haden British
Not on view
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."
In Tipperary, a meandering river and two overgrown banks with trees on either sides.
"Published States: First.-'Seymour Haden 1864.' Twelve impressions taken."
[Source: Harrington, p. 44]
"The scene is the Dundrum or Multeen River flowing through the park of Dundrum House, Lord Hawarden's estate in Country Tipperary. It can be seen from all windows facing north.
State II (D1, 12 impressions, H1). The etched work under trees in left background, work in center clump of trees, work in river- approx. 63.5 mm. from bottom-and drypoint work on middle bank removed."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 193 ]
