The Two Asses
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."
Two asses stand at center before trees on upper half of plate; inscription fills bottom half of plate describing technique.
"Published States: Second.-The foreground is written upon, 'This plate is part of the square one which follows it, &c.,&c."
[Source: Harrington, p. 25]
"State II (H2). Printed by F. Goulding for publication in the Fine Arts Quarterly Review, new series, II (1867), facing p. 118. The foul-biting burnished and the inscription added: 'This plate is part of the square one wh. follows it. Both were drawn under the mordant and afterwards cut. The balance wd. have been better preserved if the division had not been made, and if this white space had been filled in with strong work as intended. S.H. (E,1.c.).'"
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 129]
Two asses stand at center before trees on upper half of plate; inscription fills bottom half of plate describing technique.
"Published States: Second.-The foreground is written upon, 'This plate is part of the square one which follows it, &c.,&c."
[Source: Harrington, p. 25]
"State II (H2). Printed by F. Goulding for publication in the Fine Arts Quarterly Review, new series, II (1867), facing p. 118. The foul-biting burnished and the inscription added: 'This plate is part of the square one wh. follows it. Both were drawn under the mordant and afterwards cut. The balance wd. have been better preserved if the division had not been made, and if this white space had been filled in with strong work as intended. S.H. (E,1.c.).'"
[Source: Schneiderman, p. 129]
Artwork Details
- Title: The Two Asses
- Artist: Sir Francis Seymour Haden (British, London 1818–1910 Bramdean, Hampshire)
- Date: 1863
- Medium: Etching; second state of two (Harrington); second state of two (Schneiderman)
- Dimensions: Sheet: 9 1/8 × 6 11/16 in. (23.1 × 17 cm)
Plate: 6 × 3 3/8 in. (15.2 × 8.5 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
- Object Number: 17.3.309
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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