STEEL ENGRAVING – “THE WOODLAND GATE” from the original painting by William Collins, engraved by C. Cousen, published in 1878.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 7 3/8” x 9 7/8”, and is matted to 11” x 14” for easy framing.

       Mr. Collins loved to study, animate and inanimate, in his most agreeable and unpretending moods: his pictures imbibe that atmosphere of pure rational enjoyment, which seems to be the birthright only of those who dwell by the broad sea or amid pleasant pastures.  It was among such that the painter studied, and from them he chose his models - the frequenters of green lanes and hedges, the young loiterers about cottage doorways, the ruddy, half-clad, amphibious, who pass the livelong day in gathering their “pearls” by the sea-side, are the beings with whom his pencil chiefly held communion.  And much happiness does the contemplation of his pictures bring with it to all; but especially to those whose occupation keep them in pent-up cities or overgrown towns, whose knowledge of rustic life - albeit we live in an age of easy and rapid transit - is gleaned from books, and pictures like that before us.  We reverence the painter who brings Nature in her majesty to our own doors, and proffers to the imagination flowers, which our feet cannot press.

       The “Woodland Gate” was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1836.  Collins painted another picture of the same subject, but with some slight variations, and both works bore the title of “Happy as a King.”  The latter picture has been engraved on rather a larger scale than “The Woodland Gate”, and, in order that neither the engravings nor the paintings from which they are taken should be confounded with each other, the title of this print was changed.  The youngster who rides so fearlessly and joyously on the top bar of the gate is a capital specimen of juvenile daring; he “sits right royally,” and the object of admiration and envy to his less venturesome companions: in the plenitude of his power he feels his independence, and laughs merrily at the greatness he has attained.  The other characters in the composition are equally well rendered, particularly the young girl by his side, whose countenance is eminently sweet and expressive.  The child sprawling on the ground forms a sad contrast to the others, and may inculcate a lesson of that “vaulting ambitions which o’erleaps itself.”

      The landscape portion of his work is a beautiful bit of pastoral scenery; the farther gate opens into one of those richly wooded drives, frequently to be met with in the south of England. 

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 - First Class Mail $4.50