STEEL ENGRAVING – “A STORMY SUNSET” from the painting by H. Dawson, engraved by W. Chapman, printed in 1884.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 6 ½” x 10”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

       It is in some respects to be regretted that the pictures of this artist were nearly all painted on so large a scale; they are, in fact, only adapted, by their size, for a gallery, and are scarcely suited for the collection of an amateur, unless he has abundant space to exhibit them.  Moreover, the subject themselves scarcely demand, as a rule, such vast dimensions.  On the other hand, the magnitude of the canvas gives the painter the opportunity of displaying power which a more limited field would not for it is much easier to concentrate the interest of a composition within a small space than to expand it over a large surface; and it cannot be denied that Mr. Dawson succeeded in effecting the latter object.

    “A Stormy Sunset” is a small picture, exhibited at the Dudley Gallery in 1867; the sky is the principal feature in it. Mr. Dawson was accustomed to study the region of clouds in its grandest aspects, and we have here a glorious representation, both in form and color.  The locality is purely imaginary – the mouth of an English river, with a fisherman’s village clustered beneath overhanging hills: it is a very carefully finished work, and may be accepted as a good example of the artist’s peculiar style and manner.

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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