Cowdray Castle, with Geese
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."
Herd of cows in middle left distance; four geese on neer bank in right foreground with birds in sky; Cowdray Castle in background; trees at right; water in foreground.
"State IV (H1) The geese on the left side of the far bank removed; the burnishing also removed much of the far bank and work in the water, which was redrawn. Two geese on the near bank now have light dryoint work."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 387]
"Published State: First.-There are now only two geese left on the further bank. Impressions from an electrotype plate of this etching within ruled lines were published in the 'Art Journal', 1883."
[Source: Harrington, p. 110]
Herd of cows in middle left distance; four geese on neer bank in right foreground with birds in sky; Cowdray Castle in background; trees at right; water in foreground.
"State IV (H1) The geese on the left side of the far bank removed; the burnishing also removed much of the far bank and work in the water, which was redrawn. Two geese on the near bank now have light dryoint work."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 387]
"Published State: First.-There are now only two geese left on the further bank. Impressions from an electrotype plate of this etching within ruled lines were published in the 'Art Journal', 1883."
[Source: Harrington, p. 110]
Artwork Details
- Title: Cowdray Castle, with Geese
- Artist: Sir Francis Seymour Haden (British, London 1818–1910 Bramdean, Hampshire)
- Date: 1882
- Medium: Etching with drypoint; first (final) state (Harrington); fourth state of five (Schneiderman)
- Dimensions: Sheet: 12 5/16 × 18 1/16 in. (31.2 × 45.8 cm)
Plate: 5 7/8 × 9 1/2 in. (15 × 24.1 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
- Object Number: 17.3.2057
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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