The Parting Look (with Man and Box)
1858
Medium
Steel engraving colored with wooden blocks, on paper
Dimensions
63.5 × 46.2 cm (25 × 18 1/4 in.)
Classification
wood engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
61563
Art Historical Context
George Baxter's *The Parting Look ( Man and Box)*, in 1858, a poignant Victorian moment of—a man with a box gazes back tenderly, evoking themes of separation and longing so beloved in 19th-century sentimental art. Measuring 63.5 × 46.2 cm, this exemplifies Baxter's mastery as a British innovator in color reproduction, bridging fine art and popular imagery during the Industrial Revolution's print boom. Baxter's technique, often called the "Baxter process," combined a steel engraving for precise line work with multiple wooden blocks inked in oil colors to layer vibrant hues—up to 20 blocks per ...