Artwork
Illustration for Canto V
Illustration for Canto V is an ink print by the Romanticist artist James Neagle. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Illustration for Canto V is an etching and engraving on wove paper created by British engraver James Neagle in 1788. The work depicts a serene yet subtly dramatic scene of three women engaged in a quiet interaction, set against a draped backdrop with a hanging wreath.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a seated woman holding a basket of flowers, flanked by two standing women, one with a fan and the other with a basket of fruit. The calm, introspective atmosphere suggests a narrative likely derived from a literary source, such as a poem or book, which the image was intended to illustrate.
Technique & Style
Neagle employed a combination of fine lines and nuanced shading to achieve depth, characteristic of late 18th-century printmaking. The interplay of etching (needle on plate) and engraving (tool on plate) techniques, common in book illustrations of the era, adds to the work's detailed and expressive quality.
History & Provenance
James Neagle, primarily a line engraver, produced this work in 1788, typical of his role in translating prominent artists' designs into book illustrations. Specific provenance details for *Illustration for Canto V* are not provided.
Context
Created during the late 18th century, this print reflects the era's practice of illustrating literary works with intricate, detailed engravings. Such pieces were integral to the dissemination of stories and poems through published books.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Neagle (1760?–1822) was a British engraver. Very largely a line engraver of book illustrations, he was prolific of designs by Thomas Stothard, Robert Smirke, Henry Fuseli, Gavin Hamilton, Henry Singleton, Richard…
