A Lady and her Children Relieving a Cottager

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Printmaker and publisher John Raphael Smith is best known for his mezzotints. He was born in Derby and apprenticed to a linen draper. He began his artistic career painting miniatures and engraved his first mezzotint in 1769. In 1784 he became Mezzotint Engraver to the Prince of Wales. Smith produced thousands of prints during his career, which he distributed throughout the UK and to St Petersburg, Milan and Paris. However, after the French Revolution caused a decline in exports, he opened the Morland Gallery in King Street, Covent Garden, initially producing 36 prints after works by George Morland. Smith spent his final years travelling throughout Yorkshire, in response to commissions for pastel portraits. He died in Doncaster, aged c.61.

Places

Subjects

genre, dog, baby, woman, girl, 18th century costume, dress, parasol, bonnet, coin, basket, servant, begging, country house/mansion, cottage, door, window

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint, colour mezzotint

Artist

William Redmore Bigg (1755 - 1828)
John Raphael Smith (1752 - 1812)

Title

A Lady and her Children Relieving a Cottager

Date

published 1 July 1782

Medium

Colour mezzotint

Dimensions

height: 48.00 cm, width: 59.00 cm

Acquisition

Origin uncertain

GAC number

14861