John Crome’s etching, “At Scoutton”, 1812/3 (3rd copy)

John Crome (1768–1821)

“At Scoutton” (now known as Scoulton), 1812/3, from the series, “Norfolk Picturesque Scenery, Consisting of Thirty-One Etchings.” This impression is from the final state when the title (“At Scoutton”) was added for the "Freeman and J. B. Crome Edition", published in 1838 in "Etchings of Views in Norfolk by the Late John Crome."

Etching on cream wove paper.

Size: (sheet) 12 x 25.4 cm; (plate) 6 x 18.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image: (left of centre) "At Scoutton".

State iii (of iii) with etched title.

Goldberg 222 iii/iii (Norman L Goldberg 1978, “John Crome the Elder”, New York, NY University Press, vol. 1, p. 280, cat. no. 222); Clifford E11 iii/iii (Derek Clifford & Timothy Clifford 1968, “John Crome”, Greenwich, New York Graphic Society, pp. 167–8, cat. no. E11). Weston 21 (William Weston Gallery 1993, “The Essence of English Landscape: Etchings by John Crome 1768–1821: An Exhibition of all the artist’s published etchings in the first issue” [cat. no. 6, year 26, issue no. 247].

Norman L Goldberg (1993) in his catalogue raisonné for John Crome the Elder offers the following description of this print:

“In the foreground is a pool; on the right large tree trunks and a bank beyond with smaller trees; in the distance on the left is a church tower with the sun setting behind it; on the left is also a group of three trees on a bank” (p. 289).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers the following insights about John Crome and the series in which this print features:

“A founder and leader of the Norwich School (artists based in that town who developed a distinct local style), Crome worked in oils and as a drawing master, then became one of the first 19th-century Britons to use etching as an expressive tool. Prints made between 1809 and 1813, based on plein-air sketches, anticipate the Etching Revival. Unpublished during Crome's lifetime, sets titled ‘Norfolk Picturesque Scenery, Consisting of Thirty-One Etchings’ were first issued in 1834 to benefit his widow (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/720835).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression, but showing signs of wear to the printing plate. The sheet is in an almost pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

Note that this is the third copy of this print that I have listed. The earlier prints have been sold.

I am selling this remarkable etching created with a sketch-like looseness of drawing suggestive of a plein-air (on the spot) study, for AU$383 in total (currently US$260.85/EUR255.63/GBP218.26 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.

If you are interested in purchasing this rare and marvellous etching foreshadowing the Etching Revival in the latter half of the 19^th century, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.