Artwork
Revengeful Monsters
Revengeful Monsters is an ink print by the Romanticist artist John Hamilton Mortimer. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Revengeful Monsters is an etching on wove paper created by John Hamilton Mortimer. The work is dated to 1780, a year after the artist's death.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts a chaotic scene of figures entangled in ropes and flames, with one person struggling on the ground and others looming above with wild hair and fierce expressions. The dark, stormy background and jagged lines suggest turmoil and violence, evoking a sense of drama and danger.
Technique & Style
Mortimer employed sharp lines and heavy shading to create tension in the scene. The etching technique allowed for expressive and detailed rendering of the figures and environment.
Context
Mortimer's work reflects his interest in dramatic and often violent subject matter, as well as his engagement with the artistic circles of late 18th-century London, where he served as President of the Society of Artists in 1774.
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)
