Ideal Pastoral Life

Edward Calvert

1829 · Lithograph · Drawings and Prints

Calvert, the oldest member of the Ancients, was arguably its finest printmaker. Masterful control of line, strong articulation of light and shade, and bold sense of design lend his tiny lithographs surprising power, drawing the viewer into intricate worlds. Calvert's unusual approach to lithography may have been inspired by Blake's method of relief etching, which combined additive and subtractive processes. After drawing his design on the stone with tushe, a greasy black ink, Calvert then scratched away passages using a needle, creating fine white lines that resemble wood engraving. Here, a womans tends a flock of sheep near a rustic fence as a man emerges from a wood, guiding a single sheep back towards the group.

Artist

Edward Calvert

Date

1829

Medium

Lithograph

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1931