Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Edward Scriven. It dates from 11 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1814 print, titled 'Portrait of R.
About this work
This print shows a man in a dark coat with a white cravat. His face is sharp in profile. The artist copied a painting by Joshua Reynolds.
The print is from 1814, but the original was made long before. Reynolds painted this man in 1788. The print lets more people see the look Reynolds captured.
Check out prints by Scriven, Edward next.
Overview
This 1814 print, titled 'Portrait of R. B. Sheridan', is a reproduction of Joshua Reynolds' 1788 original painting, faithfully rendered by John Masey Wright and Edward Scriven.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is Richard Brinsley Sheridan, depicted in a formal, profile portrait, wearing a dark coat and white cravat, capturing the likeness and dignity as originally conveyed by Reynolds.
Technique & Style
The print maintains the compositional integrity of Reynolds' work, with Wright and Scriven's engraving skills ensuring a sharp, detailed representation, particularly in the subject's profile.
History & Provenance
Originally painted in 1788 by Joshua Reynolds, this portrait was later reproduced in print form in 1814 by Wright and Scriven, increasing its accessibility to a broader audience.
Context
Part of a larger effort to disseminate notable portraits through print, this work reflects the early 19th-century practice of making esteemed artworks more widely available.
Legacy
As part of the H Beard Print Collection, it contributes to the preserved legacy of both Reynolds' original artistic vision and the reproductive print techniques of its time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edward Scriven (1775 – 23 August 1841) was an English engraver of portraits, in the stipple and chalk manner. Scriven was the pre-eminent engraver of his generation, with 210 portraits ascribed to him by the National Portrait Gallery.
