Successful Monster (from "Fifteen Etchings Dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds")

Art Historical Context

"Successful Monster" is a striking etching from John Hamilton Mortimer's *Fifteen Etchings Dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds*, created on December 8, 1778. Mortimer, a British artist celebrated for his dramatic and gothic-inflected history paintings, produced this series as a tribute to Sir Joshua Reynolds, the influential portraitist and first president of the Royal Academy of Arts. The dedication reflects the artistic camaraderie of late 18th-century London, where Mortimer emulated Reynolds' grand manner while infusing his own flair for the fantastical and grotesque. This print features bold themes of female nudes intertwined with monstrous forms, as suggested by its evocative title. Etching, Mortimer's chosen medium, involved coating a copper plate with acid-resistant ground, incising lines with a needle, and immersing it in acid to etch intricate details—allowing for the expressive, shadowy contrasts that heighten the work's eerie drama. Measuring 11 5/8 x 7 7/8 inches on the plate, it exemplifies the technical precision of period printmaking, making such imaginative visions accessible beyond oil paintings. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece captures the era's fascination with the sublime and the bizarre, blending neoclassical ideals with emerging gothic sensibilities. Visitors will appreciate how Mortimer's "successful" monster playfully challenges beauty standards, offering a window into the playful yet provocative spirit of Enlightenment-era art.

About the Artist

John Hamilton Mortimer|Sir Joshua Reynolds · 1740–1779

Comment on works: History; Portraits; Genre