Helluones librorum (Bookworms)
November 10, 1786
Medium
Aquatint printed in brown ink
Dimensions
plate: 12 15/16 x 15 1/2 in. (32.8 x 39.4 cm) sheet: 13 5/8 x 16 1/2 in. (34.6 x 41.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1967
Accession Number
67.503.65
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of *Helluones librorum (worms)*, a delightful 1786 aquatint print that captures the joys—and clutter—of scholarly life. Created by a talented team including Joshua Kirby Baldrey, Jukes, Robert Ch, and Samuel Vince, work depicts men immersed in reading amid towering stacks of books, surrounded by cats, chairs, and desks in a cozy interior. The Latin title playfully translates to "bookworms," poking gentle fun at avid bibliophiles lost in their literary havens. Printed in warm brown ink, the aquatint technique—pioneered in the late 18th century—brings a painterly s...
About the Artist
Joshua Kirby Baldrey|Francis Jukes|Robert Chilton|Samuel Vince (British|British|British|British) · 1754 |1747 |1700 |1749 –1828 |1812 |1800 |1821
British, Ipswich? 1754–1828 Hatfield Woodside, Hertfordshire|British, Hertfordshire 1747–1812 London|British, 18th century|British, 1749–1821