STEEL ENGRAVING - “HYMEN AND CUPID” from the original by William Hogarth, engraved by E. Chavane, published in the mid 1800’s.  This engraving is in very good condition. The actual engraving measures 7 1/4” x 5 7/8”, and is matted to 11" x 14" for easy framing.  The following is a description from “The Complete Works of William Hogarth”.   I will include a copy of this with the engraving.

        This plate, representing “Hymen and Cupid,” with a view of a magnificent villa at a distance, was intended as a ticket for Sigismonda, which Hogarth proposed to be raffled for. It is often marked with ink L2 2s. The number of each ticket was to have been inserted on the scroll hanging down from the knee of the principal figure.  Perhaps none of them were ever disposed of. This plate, however, must have been engraved about 1762 or 1763. Mr. Nichols observes of this plate, that had he not seen many copies marked by the hand of Hogarth, he should have supposed it to be only a ticket for a concert or music meeting.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, etchings, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes, which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, lithographs, ect., are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated in the auction, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.

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