A Seat in St. James's Park

George John Pinwell|Joseph Swain

1870 · Wood engraving on chine volant; proof before letters · Drawings and Prints

Londoners from different walks of life are here brought close to one another on a park bench–a soldier, a nursemaid, a well-dressed gentleman, and a poor violin player. This large print, possibly intended for the weekly periodical "The Graphic" as a double-page supplement, was never published because the woodblock (now Victoria and Albert Museum) developed a crack. Just a few proofs on special paper, as here, appear to have been printed. It is a larger and more elaborate version of the subject Pinwell had designed in 1869 as a wood engraving for "Once a Week". That year he also exhibited a watercolour of the composition (Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney) to great acclaim. In fact this print might have been a commission from "The Graphic" to disseminate the watercolour to a wider audience and capitalize on the artist's growing reputation. In April 1869 he was elected an associate member of the Royal Watercolour Society.

Artist

George John Pinwell|Joseph Swain

Date

1870

Medium

Wood engraving on chine volant; proof before letters

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928