| Method | Mezzotint |
| Artist | Charles Spooner aftert Jean Étienne Liotard |
| Published | Printed for Robt. Sayer, Printseller in Fleet Street. [c.1750] |
| Dimensions | Image 135 x 112 mm, Sheet 151 x 113 mm |
| Notes |
A delicate mezzotint portrait of a finely dressed lady wearing a laced bodice dress with brocaded cuffs and a choker necklace with cross pendant, looking of from reading a letter. Likely to be a portrait of Mlle Lavergne, niece of the painter. Charles Spooner (1720 - 1767) was an Irish mezzotint engraver. Born in County Wexford, he was a pupil of the engraver John Brooks. Various plates were produced by him in Dublin between 1749 and 1752. By 1756 he had moved to London where he spent the rest of his career. His work was published by Robert Sayer and the Bowles family. He died in 1767 and was buried beside the engraver James MacArdell, in Hampstead churchyard. Jean Étienne Liotard (1702 - 1789) was a painter, pastellist, and occasional miniaturist. He was born in Geneva in 1702 and trained in Paris under Massé. He left Paris 1735 in the suite of the French ambassador to Naples, and went on to Rome where he met Sir William Ponsonby (later Earl of Bessborough), and Lord Sandwich, with whom he went via Malta, Chios and Smyrna. He travelled to Constantinople, where he remained from 1738 to 1742. He returned via Moldavia, Austria, Germany and Italy to Switzerland. In 1746 he was based in Paris as a portraitist, but made many voyages around Europe over the next 10 years, including a period in London from 1753 to 1755, where he was commissioned to paint all of the children of the Prince of Wales. He married in 1756, and henceforth was based in Geneva. Upon his return to London he arranged a peronal exhibition in 1773, and a sale of his work at Christie's in 1774. He also exhibited at the Royal Academy 1773-74. Robert Sayer (1725-1794) was one of the most prolific and successful British publishers, cartographers, and print-sellers of the Georgian era. Following his brother's marriage to the daughter in law of the publisher John Overton, Sayer continued the business, branching out into sea charts, maritime atlases, and general maps. In addition to his cartographic achievements, Sayer was also instrumental in growing the public taste for prints after paintings, particularly those by Johan Zoffany, with whom he developed a lifelong friendship as well as a lucrative business partnership. Following his death, the business was continued by Laurie and Whittle. Chaloner Smith 27 i/i, Lennox - Boyd i/i, O'Donoghue 3 Ex. Col.: Oettingen - Wallerstein, Ex. Col.: Hon. Christopher Lennox-Boyd Condition: Trimmed to just beyond image at top and sides, and to below publication line at bottom. Some foxing to inscription space, several foxing marks to image. Re-margined. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £150.00 |
| Stock ID | 21287 |