Sir William Allen, President of the Royal Scottish Academy, was born in 1782 at Edinburgh, where he was a fellow-student with Sir David Wilkie at the Trustee Academy.  After a short residence in London he sailed for St. Petersburg, Russia suggesting itself as a country where an opening for his talents might be expected, and as one abounding in stirring and novel subject matter for his pencil.  For no less than ten years he was traveling through this and the adjacent countries, amongst Cossacks, Circassians, Turks, and Tartars, and on his return to Edinburgh he commenced to embody some of the romantic scenes, which his travels and adventures had suggested.  It was uphill work.  After a time his works found better sales, and success was opening before him when his eyes gave way, and to avoid total blindness he was recommended a change of climate.  His great picture of the battle of Waterloo, purchased by the Duke of Wellington, and the energy with which at an advanced age he several times visited France and Belgium to make necessary sketches and secure his materials, are almost historical.

     The small picture of “Arabs dividing the Spoil” is from a sketch by the artist in one of his Eastern travels.  The nationality of these Arabs has been well preserved in the composition of the work, and the subject is altogether most efficiently supported: there is, however, some difficulty in determining whence the light proceeds which is thrown on the figures whose shadows appear on the rock; for the time is evening, and the last rays of the sunset are seen through the trees in the distance, and are slightly reflected in the brook which flows at the entrance of the cave: the light, therefore, is at the back of the picture.  Still the work is highly luminous and powerfully colored.  The dark blue and scarlet coat, of the nearer figure, comes out in strong relief against the warm subdued tones of the rock.  The other figure is habited in a light green jacket, which the white turban, places their wearer in his proper position between the two other principal objects: almost any different treatment of this figure would have brought it too forward.  The draperies and other matters in the foreground also show much rich and judicious coloring. 

STEEL ENGRAVING – “ARABS DIVIDING THE SPOIL” from the painting by Sir William Allen, engraved by J. Talfourd Smyth, printed in 1884. This engraving is in very good condition. The engraving measures 9 ¼” x 7 ¼”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, 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 – Priority Mail $7.50