Artwork
Banditti Taking His Post
Banditti Taking His Post is an ink print by the Romanticist artist John Hamilton Mortimer. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
You see a man in a tricorn hat aiming a rifle at something dark behind rocks.
You see a man in a tricorn hat aiming a rifle at something dark behind rocks. The scene is shadowy and tense, lit by moonlight. The figure’s stance looks ready to fire.
This is an etching from 1778, not a painting. The artist used fine lines and cross-hatching to create deep shadows. It shows the gritty side of Romanticism, not just grand landscapes.
Look for another etching by John Hamilton Mortimer.
Overview
Banditti Taking His Post is an etching created by British artist John Hamilton Mortimer in 1778. The work is part of a series depicting bandits and outlaws, and is characterized by its use of etching on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts a lone figure, dressed in a tricorn hat, aiming a rifle at a dark shape behind rocks. The scene is tense and moonlit, conveying a sense of anticipation and potential violence. The image reflects the 18th-century fascination with romanticized outlaws and lawless themes.
Technique & Style
Mortimer employed fine lines and cross-hatching to achieve deep shadows and a sense of drama. The etching's dark, atmospheric quality is typical of the artist's work, which often explored the grittier aspects of Romanticism.
History & Provenance
John Hamilton Mortimer was a British painter and printmaker who served as President of the Society of Artists in 1774. He died in 1779 at the age of 39, a year after creating Banditti Taking His Post.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Hamilton Mortimer (17 September 1740 – 4 February 1779) was a British figure and landscape painter and printmaker, known for romantic paintings set in Italy, works depicting conversations, and works drawn in the…
![Mucius Scaevola [recto], by John Hamilton Mortimer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-hamilton-mortimer--mucius-scaevola-recto--0de678fa443f7962-w320.webp)
