STEEL ENGRAVING – “GIPSY MUSICIANS OF SPAIN” from the painting by John Phillip, engraved by Knolle, printed in 1885.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving is oval and measures 9 1/8” x 7 ¼”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

    John Phillip was admitted to the schools of the British Royal Academy in 1837, and for some years exhibited almost exception subjects from Scotland; At least, these subjects laid foundation of his well-earned fame.  In 1852, he visited Spain, and became promptly seized with an almost wild admiration for the works of the Spanish masters, and for the every-day scenes to be met with amongst the picturesque peasantry of the country: Velasquez in particular was his idol.  The result of this experience on his art was at once perceived, for from that time to the day of his death little that was not Spanish ever appeared on his canvases.

    No one could expect that an artist thus universally influenced in favor of Spain would return without bringing back some reminiscences of gipsy life there.  Though this singular people retain their peculiar nationality, wherever they are found, they present almost a distinctive appearance according to the country they inhabit – one which is in great part regulated by that of the great mass of those among whom they dwell, the settled inhabitants.  For example, the two girls in this picture would never be mistaken for the Gipsies of Bohemia, nor of England; their features are undoubtedly of Spanish type, grafted, as it were, on the original gipsy stock.  There is, moreover, a certain degree of grace and refinement among them, which is rarely seen in the tribes of other nations.

    This is one of the earliest, if not the first, of those Spanish pictures, which gained for the artist so high a reputation.  We seldom in England see gipsies employed as these two girls are, in the South of Europe; they are musicians and vocalists, and are supposed to be amusing and out-of-door audience with songs, accompanied by the guitar and tambourine.  Their dress is of coarse fabrics, but gay in color, and their persons are adorned with jewelry more showy than costly.  The arrangement of the group is very picturesque, and the costume has been carefully studied, so as to combine variety of form with richness of color; while there is a living expression throughout that speaks far more of reality, of a sketch from nature, than of the models of the studio, set up and dressed for the occasion. 

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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