| Method | Mezzotint with hand colouring |
| Artist | after Philippe Mercier |
| Published | Printed for Carington Bowles, No. 69 in St. Pauls Church Yard, London. [c.1780] |
| Dimensions | Image 145 x 115 mm, Plate 155 x 115 mm, Sheet 232 x 150 mm |
| Notes |
A miniature mezzotint droll of a young boy playing with a spinning top, after the painting by Philippe Mercier of his son Philip Mercier Jnr. The boy is shown three-quarter length, turned slightly to the right, and dressed in a long coat, waistcoat, breeches, and high socks, with his hair pulled back and tied with a ribbon. In his outstretched right hand he holds the top, and his left is held aloft with the string. The current mezzotint is unsigned, but like many genre scenes published by Carington Bowles after designs by Mercier, it was likely engraved by John Faber the Younger. Philippe Mercier (c.1689-1760) was a French painter and engraver, who lived and worked principally in London. The son of a Huguenot tapestry worker, Mercier was born in Berlin, where he studied painting at the Akademie der Wissenschaften, and later under Antoine Pesne. He travelled to Italy and France before settling in London in 1716. Painter to Frederick Prince of Wales (1729-36), Mercier mainly specialised in portraits, but in later years he made pictures in the manner of Watteau for engraving. His wife Dorothy ran a print shop in London, and his son Philip Mercier Jnr. also became a printmaker. The printer and publisher Carington Bowles (1724 - 1793) was the son of the printer John Bowles, to whom he was apprenticed in 1741. In 1752 until c.1762, they became a partnership known as John Bowles & Son, at the Black Horse, Cornhill, London. Carington left the partnership in order to take over the business of his uncle, Thomas Bowles II in St Paul's Churchyard. When Carington died in 1793 the business passed to his son (Henry) Carington Bowles. Chaloner Smith undescribed, Russell undescribed. Condition: Strong clean impression with full margins. Old adhesive stains to margins, not affecting plate. Minor acid burn from old mount just outside platemark. Small puncture to top right corner of margin. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £225.00 |
| Stock ID | 51291 |