Who painted The Lover's Letter Box?

The Lover's Letter Box was painted by George Baxter in 1856.

Where can I see The Lover's Letter Box?

The Lover's Letter Box is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Lover's Letter Box?

The Lover's Letter Box is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

The Lover's Letter Box

George Baxter , 1856

The Lover's Letter Box is a print by the Impressionist artist George Baxter. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

This process was developed by Baxter and is notable for its use of oil colours from wood blocks to add richness to the print.

The print is called The Lover's Letter Box, made by George Baxter in 1856.
It's a print made using a special process that combines different printing methods.
This process was developed by Baxter and is notable for its use of oil colours from wood blocks to add richness to the print.
The Victoria and Albert Museum holds this print, which was made after a painting by Jessie McLeod.
You can learn more about this kind of printmaking by looking into the work of artist George Baxter.

Overview

The Lover's Letter Box is a print created by George Baxter in 1856, utilizing his innovative, patented printmaking process that combined intaglio and relief techniques to achieve rich, full-color images.

Subject & Meaning

The subject of the print is based on a painting by Jessie McLeod, though the specific narrative or symbolic meaning of 'The Lover's Letter Box' is not explicitly detailed in available information.

Technique & Style

Baxter's process involved an aquatinted foundation plate (printed here in black) for primary design elements, supplemented by oil colours from wood blocks, visible in the lighter areas of the print upon close inspection.

History & Provenance

Produced in 1856, the print is now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, exemplifying Baxter's short-lived yet influential technique, later surpassed by colour lithography.

Context

Created during the mid-19th century, this work reflects the period's quest for advanced colour printing methods, with Baxter's technique offering a transient solution before the advent of more durable technologies like lithography.

Artist & collection

Artist

George Baxter

George Baxter (1804–1867) was an English artist and printer based in London. He is credited with the invention of commercially viable colour printing. Though colour printing had been developed in China centuries before,…