George Smith of Chichester’s etching, “View with a farmhouse by a river in winter”, 1767

George Smith of Chichester (1714-1776)—one of the three brothers known as “The Smiths of Chichester”

Note that the inscription on the plate also includes George’s brother, John Smith of Chichester (1717–1764), but John had passed away before the execution of this plate in 1767 (as inscribed in the plate).

“View with a farmhouse by a river in winter” (descriptive title only), 1767 (as inscribed in plate but note that the British Museum holds an impression of this print dated 1756: see BM inv. no 1854,1111.112), from a series of 53 etchings and engravings after John and George Smith’s paintings “and other masters” published in London by John Boydell (1719–1804) in 1770. For more information about this publication see the details offered by the Curator of the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1864-1114-235.

Etching and engraving on fine China paper, trimmed around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 11.6 x 14 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: “Geo & J[n]o. Smith Chichester 1767”.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“View with a farmhouse by a river in winter, a figure carrying a bundle of logs and crossing a bridge in the right foreground, the farmhouse across the river in the background, bare trees surrounding, birds in the sky” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1854-1111-112).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression, trimmed around the image borderline (but retaining the inscribed publication details) and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this visually arresting 18^th century etching of a wintery landscape—note that I have previously listed a similar winter scene by the Chichester brothers that also features leafless trees: “Winter landscape with ruin, bridge and cottage” (https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2020/12/george-smith-of-chichesters-etching.html)—for AU$269 (currently US$199.84/EUR169.23/GBP144.78 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 remarkable English landscape that pictorially appears serene and calm, but psychologically (at least in my reading of it) is underpinned thorny anxiety projected by the twisted skeletal-like limbs of the leafless trees, 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