Object number
85/66
Title
Peasant and Pigs,
Creator
Description
This is a framed print of a mezzotint engraving titled 'Peasant and Pigs', depicting a man and a girl watching two pigs feeding at a trough in a rural setting. The original painting was by G. Morland and the engraving was made and published by I. R. Smith on 1st June 1803. The inscription below the print reads, 'Painted by G. Morland // Engraved by I. R. Smith Mezzotinto engraver to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. // London Published June 1st 1803 by I. R. Smith // King Street, Covent Garden. // No. XV PEASANT & PIGS'.
Physical description
1 print from engraving: framed; good condition
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: PRINT - Engraving // Accession number: 85/66 // Classification: LIVESTOCK Pigs // Negative number: 60/14968 // Acquisition method: Not certain: // Acquired from, date: Possibly from Reading University Fine Art Dept. date not known // Store: Picture store // Condition: good // Recorder, date: JMB 12.12.85 // Description: [‘PEASANT & PIGS’ underlined] c.1803 // Picture of a man and a girl watching two pigs feeding at a trough in a rural setting. // Painted by G. Morland // Engraved by I. R. Smith June 1st 1803 // Dimensions: Black and gold frame // 55.0cm wide x 44.5cm high // Associated information: Inscription below print: // Painted by G. Morland // Engraved by I. R. Smith Mezzotinto engraver to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. // London Published June 1st 1803 by I. R. Smith // King Street, Covent Garden. // No. XV PEASANT & PIGS // References:', Miscellaneous note – 'Morland, George, (1763-1804) was an exponent of picturesque rustic genre painting who based himself on Dutch and Flemish 17th c. models such as BROUWER. Like them, he refused to work for individual patrons and preferred to sell through an agent, thus altering the whole basis of patronage in 18th c. England. His very numerous works were popularized through engravings, many of which were executed by William Ward, brother of James WARD, Morland's own brother-in-law and imitator. The son of a painter, Henry Morland (c. 1730-97), he exhibited drawings at the R. A. at the age of ten (1773), and his first oil-painting was shown there in 1781. From then on he lived wildly, and in 1799 was arrested (as a French spy) while on the run from his creditors; after which he was in the King's Bench Prison until 1802. He died in prison after producing an enormous amount of scamped work to pay his debts. His reputation immediately declined and his place was taken by WILKIE. Among his most purely Dutch works are the [‘Industry’ italics] and [‘Idleness’ italics] (Edinburgh, N. G.), while the [‘Stable’ italics] (1791 : London, N. G.) is one of his best rustic subjects. Other works are in London (Tate, V. & A. Mus., Kenwood) and Birmingham, Glasgow, Leicester, Manchester, New York (Met. Mus.), Nottingham, Port Sunlight (Lever Gall.), Wolverhampton, and York.'
Production place
, Greater London [region]
Production date
1803-06-01
Object name
Material
Technique
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_14968.tif - High resolution image