Lines and Colors art blog

Eye Candy for Today: John Hamilton Mortimer etching

Comedy (from Fifteen Etchings Dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds), by John Hamilton Mortime
Comedy (from Fifteen Etchings Dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds), John Hamilton Mortimer

In the metropolitan Museum of Art. Use “Fullscreen” link and Download arrow. The outside dimentions of the sheet on which the etching is printed are roughly 12 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches (29 x 19 cm).

Another example of that wonderful quality of line that only seems possible with an etching needle. Here, Mortimer has supplemented traditional hatching with dense wavering cross hatching in the darkest areas and areas of stipple in the (weirdly demonic) faces.

Comedy, Met Museum

Comments

2 responses to “Eye Candy for Today: John Hamilton Mortimer etching”

  1. Yeah, what IS with those faces? This looks like such a benign scene until you go close in and see those creepy, creepy eyes! Weird.

    1. cparker Avatar

      I think it has to do with a different interpretation of the subject than we might have in the present.