Puck, in Shakespeare's A midsummer night's dream. Engraving by C. Heath, 1827, after J. Reynolds, 1789.

  • Reynolds, Joshua, Sir, 1723-1792.
Date:
[1827]
Reference:
2804065i
  • Pictures

About this work

Description

"A naked infant with faun's ears, seated on a large mushroom and clutching a bunch of flowers in his right hand"--Mannings, loc. cit. Described by the Morning post, 1 May 1789, as "rather disgusting, as it seems to be a portrait taken from some anatomical preparation. It is really offensive, and we wonder the taste and feeling of this admirable artist should ever have been employed on such a subject." (ibid.)

Publication/Creation

[London] : [R. Jennings], [1827]

Physical description

1 print : engraving, with etching ; platemark approximately 36.1 x 28 cm

Lettering

Sir Joshua Reynolds pinxit. C. Heath sculp.t

Edition

[State with author lettering only, in scratched form].

Creator/production credits

"Fagan maintained that this print was the work of two of Charles Heath's most distinguished pupils, J.H. Watts and G. Doo"--John Heath, loc. cit.

References note

David Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds: a complete catalogue of his paintings, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000, p. 557, no. 2142
John Heath, The Heath family engravers 1779-1878, Aldershot 1993, vol. 2, pp. 228-229

Reference

Wellcome Collection 2804065i

Type/Technique

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

Permanent link