Engraving: Its Origin, Processes, and HistoryDelaborde, Henri, comte
History
Engraving: Its Origin, Processes, and History
Delaborde, Henri, comte
Engravers -- Great Britain; Engraving -- Great Britain; Engraving -- History
The death of Reynolds in 1835 seems to mark roughly the closing period
of English engraving as a great art; two of his most renowned pupils
were, however, still in the fulness of power, David Lucas and the
present Mr. Samuel Cousins, R.A.[67] Of Mr. Cousins, it is sufficient
to relate that Reynolds, happening one day to be in the town of Exeter,
saw some drawings in a shop window which caught his eye, and on going
inside he learnt that they were by a lad of the name of Cousins, which
incident led to Reynolds taking the youth to London and keeping him
as his apprentice. Mr. Cousins' artistic genius, steady perseverance,
and sterling integrity in all that he undertook, brought their full
results, as shown in the fine series of mezzotint engravings so widely
known and highly appreciated, and his name may indeed be said to close
worthily the long line of great British mezzotinters.
David Lucas was born in the year 1802, and had the good fortune to meet
in early life with Constable, between whom and Lucas was formed that
intimate connection of painter and engraver which in earlier times had
led to such great results. Failing Reynolds, Constable had applied to
Lucas to be his engraver, and between them was completed the beautiful
mezzotint series of English landscape; Constable bore the expense
and was ever in counsel with the engraver, going into the minutest
details, thinking no trouble too much to produce a good result, down
to the printing of the plates, which they often did themselves, Lucas
having had a press erected at his house for the purpose. The execution
of this series led to Lucas undertaking the large plate of "The
Cornfield" at his own risk, and afterwards the companion picture of
"The Lock"--referred to before--finally culminating in his production
of the superb engraving of Salisbury Cathedral as seen from the
meadows, to which Constable himself gave the name of "The Rainbow."[68]
During all this period constant intercourse and correspondence took
place between the painter and engraver. At one time, Constable writes,
"Although much admired, Salisbury is still too heavy; the sentiment of
the picture is that of solemnity not gaiety, yet it must be bright,
clear, alive, fresh, and all the front seen." At another, "The bow is
a grand whole, provided it is clear and tender; how I wish I could
scratch and tear away with your tools on the steel, but I can't do it,
and your quiet way is I know the best and only way." At length comes,
"Dear Lucas, the print is a noble and beautiful thing entirely improved
and entirely made perfect; the bow is noble, it is startling, unique."
So hand-in-hand they worked on, the painter upbearing his helpmate the
engraver, each aiding the other, little noticed by the public at the
time, but slowly building up an imperishable fame. David Lucas died in
1881 in his eightieth year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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