John Constable (1776–1836). In the late 1820s Constable became interested in publishing prints of his paintings, which had been critically acclaimed but were less commercially popular. He hoped to change this by issuing printed reproductions destined for a wider audience. Although advised to use lithography, he felt that mezzotint could be better adapted to simulate his painterly effects. He found an unknown but talented mezzotint engraver, David Lucas, and in 1829 they began work on a series of mezzotints, which would be issued as Various Subjects of Landscape, Characteristic of English Scenery. Despite the publication of two separate editions the work was not a commercial success for Constable, mainly because his approach to nature was not appreciated until many years later. Yet in technical terms the mezzotints are a resounding success, and capture many of Constable's atmospheric effects and painterly techniques. |
