STEEL ENGRAVING – “HER MAJESTY, QUEEN VICTORIA” from the original sculpture by Joseph Durham, engraved by R.A. Artlett, published in 1878.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 8 ¼” x 4 ¾”, and is matted to 11” x 14” for easy framing.

    This beautiful example of portrait-sculpture was a gift to the City of London, from the late Sir F. G. Moon, Bart., at the termination of his Mayoralty.  It now ornaments the Council Chamber of the Guildhall – a memorial of the liberality of the donor, no less than of his loyalty.  Sir Francis Graham Moon was for many years one of the most celebrated publishers of engravings in London.  He was also well known as a connoisseur and patron of art, and the form chosen by him, in which to commemorate his year of office, was therefore peculiarly fitting.  A baronetcy was conferred him on the occasion of the visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French, in 1855, and he was also created a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by Napoleon.  He filled many important civic offices, and was justly held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens.

   Her Majesty honored Mr. Durham with several sittings for the execution of this work, which is certainly among the best of numerous similar productions.  The head and bust are well modeled; the face presents that combined expression of placid and sweetness which is at all times natural to Queen Victoria, but which was especially so at the time when the bust was modeled.  It may appear to some that the general contour of the head and features is too large and massive, but sculpture almost invariably produces this effect – any one who has compared a bust with the living model will at once see how much larger the former seems than the latter. We remember, says writer on this subject, to have been particularly struck with the false idea of unnatural largeness of form in the bust of a friend of ours, by one of our most eminent sculptors, and could not be reasoned out of our belief till we had measured the work of the artist and the pericranium of our acquaintance, and found both of exactly corresponding size.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, etchings, 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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