John Carr Armytage, “Jumièges”, 1833, after Turner

John Carr Armytage (aka James Charles Armytage) (1802–1897)

“Jumièges”, 1833, engraving after the composition by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), initially published by Longman & Co., as an illustration to “Wanderings by the Seine” (1834) from the three­-volume collection, “Turner’s Annual Tour”, and later by J.S. Virtue & Co., in “The Seine and the Loire” (1886).

Although the text on the engraving advises that the portrayed scene is after a drawing by Turner, the current thought is that the engraving is a translation of Turner’s  gouache and watercolour painting, “Jumièges” (c1832), in the collection of the Tate Britain (see https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/jmw-turner/joseph-mallord-william-turner-jumieges-r1195806).  Interestingly, John Ruskin (1819–1900) in “Modern Painters”, vol. 1, p. 247) offers the following insight regarding Turner’s practice in making studies and from my reading of his description there is only one study: “Jumièges is a rendering by Turner of Copley Fielding’s particular moment, and the only one existing, for Turner never repeats himself. One picture is allotted to one truth, the statement is perfectly and gloriously made, and he passes on to speak of a fresh port of God’s revelation. The haze of sunlit rain of this most magnificent picture, the gradual retirement of the dark wood into its depths, and the sparkling and evanescent light which sends its variable flashes on the abbey, figure, foliage and foam, require no comment; they speak home at once.” 

Engraving with etching printed on chine collè on heavy wove paper with generously wide margins as published in 1886.

Size: (sheet) 30 x 42.4 cm; (plate) 14.7 x 22.5 cm; (chine collè) 13.1 x 20.8 cm; (image borderline) 10 x 14.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Drawn by J.M.W. Turner R.A.”; (right) “Engraved by J.C. Armytage.”

Rawlinson 463 (W.G. Rawlinson 1913, “The Engraved Work of J.M.W. Turner, R.A.”, vol. 2., London, MacMillan and Co., p. 267, cat. no. 463); Andres 542 (Ernst Andres 2002, “Steel-engraved views of towns and cities - first complete bibliography”).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Jumièges; view of the Seine, with row boat with women aboard in the centre foreground, steamboat at extreme right, abbey in the middle distance, hazy rainbow over rain storm, smoke rising in the right sky; after JMW Turner (Wilton 961)” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0822-4176).

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression in a pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, foxing, losses, foxing, stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this exquisite engraving in a museum quality/pristine condition, for the total cost of AU$189 (currently US$124.79/EUR114.20/GBP97.73 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$189) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this almost magically luminous engraving that sparkles with light, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.