William Wise’s etching, “The Butterfly”, 1872, after William Blake Richmond

William Wise (fl.1812–1876)

“The Butterfly” (aka “Child with a Butterfly”), 1872, after William Blake Richmond (1842–1921), published in London by Seeley, Jackson & Halliday (fl.1867–1880) as an illustration to Philip Gilbert Hamerton’s (1834–1894) art periodical, “The Portfolio”, in 1874.

Etching with plate tone on heavy laid buff coloured paper.

Size: (sheet) 29.6 x 21.6 cm; (plate) 16 x 14.4 cm; (image borderline) 15 x 13.2 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower left) “W. WISE after W. B. RICHMOND.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “A naked baby seated to front in a field with feet crossed, head and shoulders turned to right and arms outstretched, trying to catch a butterfly; illustration to 'The Portfolio' of 1874; after Richmond. 1874” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1878-0511-129).

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this sensitively executed etching of a child captivated by a butterfly for AU$237 (currently US$159.18/EUR145.44/GBP125.14 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 romantically beautiful etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.