STEEL ENGRAVING - “BETWEEN THE SCHOOL-HOURS” from the original painting by C.E. Perugini, engraved by W. Greatbach, printed in 1876.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 6 ¼” x 10 7/8”, and is matted to 11” x 14” for easy framing.

The painter of this picture is, as his name implies, is an Italian, and during many years past has very constantly exhibited at the British Royal Academy; one of his earliest pictures hung there was a large canvas, bearing the title of ‘Chi Va Piano Va Sano:’ this was 1866. Among later work was ‘Playing at Work’ (1872), a garden-scene, in which some ladies are introduced assuming to be very busy as a kind of amateur gardeners. ‘A Cup of Tea’ (1874) had special commendation for the careful drawing of the young lady who is drinking the tea, and for the general richness of effect pervading the entire composition. ‘A Labour of Love,’ another young lady “daintily arranging roses,” was exhibited at the same time. ‘Gardening,’ a delicately painted little picture, was in the Academy last year; and another work of like interest, ‘Choosing a Nosegay,’ was among his exhibited pictures of 1876. These are but a few out of the many paintings by Mr. Perugini, which have been before the public.

It is unquestionable that he made a bold venture in essaying a composition of the character of that we have engraved; a number of children on stilts is a subject which seems to border on caricature, or absurdity, and would, undoubtedly, have done so in less judicious hands: but, as we see it, it is simply amusing, attractive from its originality - a quality somewhat in its favor in these days of pictorial platitudes - and also from the very agreeable and clever treatment. Certainly the youngsters have a singular appearance as they move on their “elevations” in the order of march, and as it seems of age also; but the arrangement of the figures is so good, and so varied in the attitude of each, that one loses the formality inseparable, it would be thought, from the subject. The artist shows his skill as a designer by the introduction of a large dog on one side of the group, and of a “flyaway” hat on the other; the effect of these is so modify, to a very great extent, the stiffness of the mounted children.

The boys and girls thus amusing themselves “between school-hours” are not actually portraits, we believe, but the scene, as it is presented, is a reminiscence of what Mr. Perugini once witnessed at the house of a friend in the country. The picture was exhibited at the British Royal Academy in 1873.

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.

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