The Smooth Leaved Green Antigua Pine

Richard Brookshaw|Henri Merke|Thomas Bensley|George Brookshaw

1807 · Aquatint and stipple, printed in color with hand coloring · Drawings and Prints

Life-size color-printed representations of fruits in a series titled "Pomona Britannica" (Fruits of Britain) crowned George Brookshaw’s career. The series included tropical varieties such as pineapples, together with grapes, peaches and cherries with all specimens shown grown near London at Hampton Court, Kensington Palace and gardens belonging to the Prince of Wales at Blackheath. Brookshaw began as a successful painter and japanner of furniture for wealthy clients then switched course and became a botanical draftsman, teacher and publisher of instructional manuals. Issued between 1804 and 1812, the plates in "Pomona Britannica" demonstrate a well-honed aesthetic sense with fruits often placed against dark grounds and delicately colored. Stipple engraving is here combined with the relatively new tonal process of aquatint.

Artist

Richard Brookshaw|Henri Merke|Thomas Bensley|George Brookshaw

Date

1807

Medium

Aquatint and stipple, printed in color with hand coloring

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019