STEEL ENGRAVING – “THE BALLAD-SINGER” from the original painting by Daniel Maclise, engraved by J. Stephenson, published in 1878.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 10” x 7 3/8”, and is matted to 11” x 14” for easy framing.

   The occupation of the Ballad–Singer in England nearly ended in the late 1800’s, with that of other itinerant dealers in gossip and small merchandise.  Newspapers and railroads have done much to bring about the change, which is perhaps not to be regretted, for however picturesque these wanderers may appear on canvas or in the pages of a novel, their visible occupations were very often only a cloak under which they carried on the more profitable but less harmless trade of stealing.  Time was, however, when the Ballad–Singer were an important class in the community.  Their ballads sung through the streets of the cities, or from houses in the country, were powerful instruments for good or evil over the minds of their ill-educated audience, and in times of great political excitement, statesmen did not despise their aid to support their own measures, or to deride those of their opponents.  Although many of their ballads quite worthless as literary compositions, they frequently contained some local history or legend which modern writers have found useful, and they also express the popular opinion on matters of current interest, at a time when there were no public journals to give a daily record of public opinion and events.  In “The Ballad Singer”, the singer, a woman, is a fair example of robust beauty.  The chubby infant she carries at her back seems to occasion her very little trouble.  She is standing in the porch of a house, and is singing a ballad, copies of which she holds in her hand for sale.  Her audience is not visible, but it is easy to imagine the occupants of the cottage clustered around the door, listening to the pathetic story of “The Sailor’s Wife” or some equally touching recital.

   Daniel Maclise was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1811.  He first occupied a subordinate position in a mercantile house, but his extraordinary proficiency in drawing induced his friends to allow him to fallow a more congenial occupation, and in 1828 he became a student in the British Royal Academy, and in 1833 exhibited his first picture.  On the refusal in 1866 of Sir Edwin Landseer to accept the Presidency of the British Royal Academy, it was offered to Maclise, but he also declined the honor.  He died in the month of April, 1870.

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, and lithographs 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, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.

SHIPPING AND HANDLING - First Class Mail $4.50