The Brown Havannah Pine
Life-size color-printed representations of fruits in a series titled "Pomona Britannica" (Fruits of Britain) crowned George Brookshaw’s career. The series included tropical varieties such as pineapples, together with grapes, peaches and cherries with all specimens shown grown near London at Hampton Court, Kensington Palace and gardens belonging to the Prince of Wales at Blackheath. Brookshaw began as a successful painter and japanner of furniture for wealthy clients then switched course and became a botanical draftsman, teacher and publisher of instructional manuals. Issued between 1804 and 1812, the plates in "Pomona Britannica" demonstrate a well-honed aesthetic sense with fruits often placed against dark grounds and delicately colored. Stipple engraving is here combined with the relatively new tonal process of aquatint.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Brown Havannah Pine
- Series/Portfolio: Plate 43: Pomona Britannica; or, A collection of the most esteemed fruits at present cultivated in this country; together with the blossoms and leaves of such as are necessary to distinguish the various sorts from each other
- Artist and publisher: George Brookshaw (British, Birmingham 1751–1823 London)
- Printer: Thomas Bensley (British, baptised London 1759–1835)
- Engraver: Aquatint by Henri Merke (Swiss, Niederweningen, canton Zürich ca. 1760–after 1820)
- Engraver: Possibly Richard Brookshaw (British, 1736–ca. 1804)
- Date: 1807
- Medium: Aquatint and stipple, printed in color with hand coloring
- Dimensions: Sight: 16 5/8 × 12 13/16 in. (42.2 × 32.5 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
- Object Number: 2019.282.133
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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