Norman Hirst's herkomergravure, "Daphne", 1895

Norman Hirst (1862–1956)

“Daphne”, 1895, after the painting by Sir Hubert von Herkomer (1849–1914), published by Archibald Ramsden (fl.c.1900) in London in 1895.

Mixed method engraving (see descriptive note below) on cream chine collé (China) on heavy wove paper, hand coloured with watercolour with wide margins as published.

Regarding the engraving technique employed in this print developed in collaboration with Hubert von Herkomer —what Herkomer termed “Herkomergravure”—the Victorian Web offers the following description (extracted I understand from The Maas Gallery. Exhibition catalogue. London, 2008. Catalogue no. 49): “He would ink by hand and with swabs of cloth on a lithographic stone, take a monotype from it, and photo-engrave the result onto a copper plate. This gave a very free and soft effect. In ‘Daphne’, he used it to create the drapery and some of the skin tone. But then, on the copper plate, mezzotint has been applied by Hirst to build the skin contours of the face and shoulders, and etching has been used to give the hair and leaves form. This combination of methods, giving 'soft' and 'hard' effects, make this engraving extremely striking.”

(http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/herkomer/graphics/2.html)

Size: (sheet) 80 x 50.4 cm; (plate) 63.1 x 42.9 cm; (chine collé) 61.6 x 41 cm; (image borderline) 56.8 x 37.7 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “PAINTED BY HUBERT HERKOMER. R.A.”; (centre) “London published 24^th May 1895. By Archibald Ramsden. the Proprietor. / 103. New Bond Street. W. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1895 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington./  Daphne.”; (right) “ENGRAVED BY NORMAN HIRST.”

Condition: near faultless impression in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, abrasions, significant stains or foxing) with wide margins as published.

I am selling this huge and magnificent masterpiece of engraving executed in an amazing assortment of techniques—termed “Herkomergravure” (see descriptive note)—for AU$600 in total (currently US$404.64/EUR368.55/GBP331.49 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this ravishingly beautiful, gigantic engraving—the length of a leopard’s tail!—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold