Elizabeth, Duchess of Manchester and Her Son
c. 1770
Medium
Mezzotint on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 69 × 47 cm (27 3/16 × 18 9/16 in.); Image: 62 × 41 cm (24 7/16 × 16 3/16 in.)
Classification
mezzotint
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
50383
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
James Watson created this print for the map- and print-seller Robert Sayer after an original painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Here the Duchess of Manchester is seen reenacting the classical myth of Diana disarming Cupid, in the manner of mythological dress-up that luminaries such as Horace Walpole deemed inappropriate. It was commonplace for engravers to produce prints after popular paintings. In fact, painters often worked in tandem with printmakers in order to market themselves to a wider audi...