Bewening
c. 1681 - c. 1688
Medium
paper
Dimensions
227; 164
About this artwork
verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 240
Art Historical Context
Created around 1681–1688, *Bewening* (Dutch for “Lamentation” or “Weeping”) is a modest yet evocative work on paper by Isaac Beckett, one of England’s earliest practitioners of the mezzotint technique. Measuring just 227 × 164 mm, the print exemplifies the intimate scale favored for devotional images that could be kept in private albums or portfolios. Beckett, active during the reign of Charles II and James II, helped popularize mezzotint in Britain, a tonal engraving method prized for its velvety blacks and subtle gradations—qualities well suited to a scene of mourning. Although little is do...
About the Artist
Isaac Beckett · 1653–1719
Isaac Beckett (1653–1719) was an English mezzotint engraver who played a foundational role in establishing the art of mezzotint engraving in England. Along with Robert Williams, he was among the first native Englishmen to extensively practice this innovative printmaking technique, which had been developed in continental Europe. Born in Kent in 1653, Beckett's career spanned from 1681 to 1688, duri...