STEEL ENGRAVING – “PILGRIMS IN SIGHT OF ROME” from the painting by Sir Charles Eastlake, engraved by C.W. Sharpe, printed in 1884.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 6 5/8” x 9”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

     Certain portions of Sir Charles Eastlake’s life were spent in Italy; in 1817 he paid his first visit to that country.  About 1830 we find him living in Rome, but he had before then sent home several pieces representing Italian scenes.  There is so much purity of conception, graceful feeling, and delicate yet expressive execution in his pictures that the contemplation of them is like reading an instructive lesson.  That which forms the subject of this picture, “Pilgrims In Sight Of Rome,” possesses in an eminent degree all these admirable qualities of art, and may be considered in all respects one of his best productions.  A group of pilgrims, old and young, weary with their journey from some distant corner of Italy (as their costumes indicate), have a length arrived in sight of the Holy City, to pay their vows in the great temple of the Christian Church.  The delight and enthusiasm of the wayworn wanderers are well expressed by their various attitudes, and in the devotional feeling which appears to occupy their minds: all recollection of danger incurred, of weariness and toil, is lost in the thought of having accomplished the end of their pilgrimage.  The composition of the picture is to be noticed.  The group, though closely packed, is not crowded, and it is so arranged that while each figure is seen in the position suggested by the natural feeling of the individual, not one of the travelers occupies a predominate place over the others.  The landscape part of the scene is well introduced, and forms a powerful aid to the effectiveness of the entire composition. 

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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