Artwork
Jealous Monster
Jealous 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
John Hamilton Mortimer’s 1778 etching *Jealous Monster* presents a turbulent scene of three contorted faces locked in a violent struggle within churning water. The composition is dominated by sharp, intersecting lines that convey a sense of chaos and emotional intensity, while the title suggests an allegorical treatment of jealousy rather than a literal narrative.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts three figures whose angry expressions and tangled bodies convey a visual metaphor for the destructive power of jealousy. One figure grasps a rope, while the others seize each other’s hair and clothing, emphasizing mutual aggression. The surrounding tumultuous waves reinforce the idea that the emotion itself engulfs and overwhelms the participants.
Technique & Style
Executed in etching, Mortimer employs fine, incisive lines to render the figures’ snarling features and the frothy, turbulent sea. The stark contrasts between dark inked areas and lighter spaces heighten the drama, reflecting the artist’s penchant for narrative-driven, Romantic imagery influenced by Italian painters such as Salvator Rosa.
History & Provenance
Mortimer, a British painter and printmaker active in the late 18th century, produced *Jealous Monster* during a period when he was exploring war‑related and emotionally charged subjects. He had served as President of the Society of Artists in 1774 and died a year after completing the etching, in 1779, at the age of thirty‑nine.
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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