Mytton Hall (Lancashire)

Seymour Haden was the unlikely combination of a surgeon and an etcher. Although he pursued a very successful medical career, he is mostly remembered for his etched work as well as for his writings on etching. He was one of a group of artists, including James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) and Alphonse Legros (1837–1911), whose passionate interest in the medium led to the so-called etching revival, a period that lasted well into the twentieth century. The extolling of etching for its inherent spontaneous qualities reached its pinnacle during this time. While the line of the etching needle, Haden wrote, was "free, expressive, full of vivacity," that of the burin was "cold, constrained, uninteresting," and "without identity."
View of a short path leading toward an arched doorway; trees at left and right, casting shade across walkway.

"Mytton (Mitton), the town, is at Whalley near Blackburn, and signifies "Mid-Town," being situated between the rivers Hodder and Ribble. Mytton Hall is an old Henry VII house which Mr. Haden was in the habit of staying at for the purpose of his Salmon Fishing in the river Ribble (the "Lancashire River").
State III: Published in Études à l'eau forte (N. XXIV). Additional drypoint work in the foliage at center, extreme left and upper left. Additional definition of the windows at the left and on left side of portal. Additional shading on right side of portal and on door itself. A series of oblique parallel lines at bottom of lower right window which passes over cornice. Extension of limb foliage at the center of upper window and additional work on hanging limb to right of this."
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 71]
"Published State: First- "Seymour Haden 1859," added. Published in Études à l'eau-forte (No. XXIV.).Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1864."
[Source: Harrington, p. 7]