Portrait of Chaucer: P.14801-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Portrait of Chaucer

Maker(s)

Entities

Description

Etching on laid paper, trimmed to the platemark. Half-length image of Chaucer, in three-quarter profile facing right, looking down slightly, wearing the familiar hood associated with him and a coat with three buttons close to his neck. A pen holder is hung around his neck. A curtain frames the right margin of the image and above. It is held with two strands of cord, showing white against a darker area of tone, at upper right. The pose, costume and curtain with cords seem to derive from George Vertue's engraving and etching of Chaucer, which was executed in 1728 and then re-issued in 1730 by Vertue as part of his series, _Twelve Celebrated English Poets_ (See BM 1874,0808.2016). An inscription in graphite on the margin of paper below the image: 'Chaucer by Bretherton'. An inscription in brown ink on the verso: 'etch'd by Bretherton / N.19476', is in the hand of print collector, Joseph Gulston (1744/45-1786), the 'N.' inventory number identifying it as once part of his collection. British portrait prints formed the bulk of his enormous collection of around 53,000 prints. See Notes. A price written in blue ink on the verso at the lower left corner: '3/- [3 shillings]'. James Bretherton was known for his etchings after both old masters and contemporary artists.