Beatrice
Medium
etching on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 40.5 × 33 cm (15 15/16 × 13 in.) sheet: 54 × 38.5 cm (21 1/4 × 15 3/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Thomas Vogler in memory of his brother Donald J. Vogler
Accession Number
2017.53.62
Art Historical Context
John Hamilton Mortimer's *Beatrice* (1776) is a striking etching on wove paper a relatively new and smooth substrate at the time that allowed for finer detail and tonal subtlety in printmaking. Measuring 40.5 × 33 cm on the plate, this work exemplifies Mortimer's mastery of the etching technique, where acid bites into a metal plate to create intricate lines and textures. Produced during the late Enlightenment era in Britain, it reflects the period's fascination with dramatic narratives and expressive figures. Mortimer (1740–1779), a pivotal British artist bridging Rococo elegance and emerging...
About the Artist
John Hamilton Mortimer · 1740–1779
Comment on works: History; Portraits; Genre