Artwork
Enrag'd Monster
Enrag'd Monster 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
Overview
Enrag'd Monster is an etching created by John Hamilton Mortimer in 1778. This print captures a dramatic, chaotic scene of two men entangled in a fierce struggle amidst a turbulent sea and stormy sky.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts two men in a desperate, violent clash at sea, with one half-drowned and the other clinging tightly. The title suggests a possible reference to a real shipwreck or maritime conflict, emphasizing the brutality of the event.
Technique & Style
Mortimer employed sharp, expressive lines in the etching to convey the intensity and urgency of the struggle. The dramatic composition, with churning water and jagged clouds, reflects his inclination towards turbulent themes, influenced by Salvator Rosa's war scenes.
History & Provenance
Created in 1778, Enrag'd Monster is characteristic of Mortimer's later works, which often explored war and turmoil. Mortimer, a prominent British artist, had served as President of the Society of Artists in 1774, before his death at 39 in 1779.
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…
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