Artwork
A Cottage on Fire
A Cottage on Fire is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Turner. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
A Cottage on Fire is a print created by Charles Turner in 1799, combining mezzotint, hand coloring, and varnish on wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a rural scene at night, centered on a burning cottage, with figures and a dog nearby, conveying a sense of drama and chaos amidst stillness.
Technique & Style
The artwork utilizes the tonal range of mezzotint, enhanced with hand coloring and varnish, to create a dramatic contrast between the fire's glow and the surrounding darkness.
History & Provenance
Charles Turner, an English engraver and draughtsman known for portraiture, produced this work before collaborating with J. M. W. Turner on the latter's Liber Studiorum.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Turner (31 August 1774 – 1 August 1857) was an English engraver and draughtsman who specialised in portraiture. He collaborated with J. M. W. Turner (to whom he was not related) on the early plates of the same's Liber Studiorum.
