F. Bacon, The Penitent, 1850, Engraving

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A young woman, her long dark hair loose over bare shoulders, kneels with her hands pressed to her breast and … Read more A young woman, her long dark hair loose over bare shoulders, kneels with her hands pressed to her breast and her eyes raised toward heaven. Before her a large open book of hours with ornamented borders is propped against a rock, a skull lies beside it, and a crucifix rises behind. A dark green bush closes the right side, and the image is framed by a rounded arch against an evening sky. The subject is the penitent sinner in the tradition of Mary Magdalene, with the skull and the book as emblems of mortality and devotion. The plate reproduces "The Penitent" by William Etty (1787 to 1849), the York-born painter celebrated for his flesh painting, and was engraved by Frederick Bacon. The lettering states that the painting was then in the Vernon Gallery, the collection of British pictures given to the nation by Robert Vernon in 1847, and gives its size as 1 ft. 7 in. by 1 ft. 3 in. Engravings after the Vernon pictures, lettered in exactly this form, were issued in the Art Journal around 1850. This is a line engraving on steel, highly finished: the flesh is modeled in fine stipple and dotted lines, the hair in long flowing strokes, and the book and foliage in crisp detail. A refined devotional image for a library, a study or a quiet bedroom, best in a dark wood or gilt frame that echoes the arched top of the image. Condition: Light handling wear to the bottom right and top right corners; minor nicks along the right edge. Even age toning. Foxing and several larger brown spots across much of the margin. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less