Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist J. Jones. It dates from 8 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1788 print is a mezzotint work by J.
About this work
This 1788 print shows three figures from an old play. The artist, J. Jones, used a printmaking method called mezzotint to make soft, greyscale tones.
It captures a moment from Philip Massinger’s *The Guardian*. The costumes are fancy—dark coats with shiny trim, light vests, and hats with feathers.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more on this kind of print.
Overview
This 1788 print is a mezzotint work by J. Jones, featuring three figures from Philip Massinger's play, The Guardian.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts Hon. Richard Edgcumbe, Lord William Russell, and Lady Caroline Spencer in character, dressed in elaborate 18th-century attire, against a backdrop resembling a drawing room.
Technique & Style
The mezzotint technique allows for soft, greyscale tones, capturing the intricate details of the characters' clothing and surroundings.
History & Provenance
Created in 1788, the print is an example of a mezzotint, a printmaking method that was popular during the 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Early 19th-century British printmaker J. Jones made crisp, detailed prints that look into everyday life and small workspaces. Try “Interior of an Amateur Statuary’s Workshop” (1827), a tidy snapshot of marble pieces and…
