David Charles Read

1790 – 1851

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Canal scene, Evening

Original etching.

Excellent early impression.

SOLD

Moonlight, Alderbury

Original etching.

Excellent presentation proof impression given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke. A particularly fine example of Read’s nocturnal landscape studies.

SOLD

Moonlight, Alderbury

Original etching.

Brilliant working proof impression in the first state of the plate. A truly exceptional example of one of Read’s finest nocturnal landscape studies.Working proofs of David Charles Read’s etchings as so rare as to be virtually unknown.

SOLD

Geothe’s Far Departed Light

Original etching.

Exceptionally strong impression with pronounced etched line.

SOLD

Shirley Common 1830

Original etching with touches of drypoint.

Beautiful proof impression with delicate plate tone, the touches of drypoint printing with fresh burr. A presentation proof given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke.

£SOLD

Anglers by the Lakeside - Wild Landscape, with trees in the centre 1831

Original etching.

Extremely strong, early proof impression from the artist's personal collection.

SOLD

Large St.Aubyn’s Bay, Jersey c.1832

Original etching with touches of drypoint.

Very fine presentation proof impression inscribed by the artist in pencil on the support sheet “To Townly Dowdry Esqr. DCR”.

SOLD

Christ in a Storm 1829

Original etching.

Outstanding early impression with bright contrast and exceptional clarity of line.

SOLD

Sea Storm with Dutch vessels

Original etching.

Very strong, early impression with bright contrast and exceptional clarity of line.

SOLD

Road to Corfe Castle

Original etching.

Very fine presentation proof impression given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke. A very fine example of Read’s characteristic landscape studies,
sketched by the artist directly on to the plate.

SOLD

Southampton Water 1831

Original etching.

Excellent presentation proof impression given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke.

SOLD

Carisbrooke Castle: Daylight

Original etching with touches of drypoint.

Rare signed proof impression, initialled by the artist in pencil.

SOLD

Cracknore Hard 1831

Original etching.

Outstanding presentation proof impression given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke.

SOLD

Water’s Meadow, Stratford-sub-Castle, Wiltshire

Original etching with touches of drypoint.

Excellent presentation proof impression given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke. A particularly fine example of Read’s charming landscape studies,
sketched by the artist directly on to the plate.

SOLD

[Figures in a Mountainous Landscape]

Original drypoint.

Outstanding early proof impression with exceptionally rich drypoint burr.
A particularly beautiful impression of this fine Romantic landscape.
A presentation proof given by the artist to the Earl of Pembroke.

SOLD

David Charles Read was one of the most fluent original etchers outside the Norwich School to be active in England between the years 1820 and 1845. Essentially a landscape artist, D.C.Read was born in Hampshire and was apprentice to the eminent engraver John Scott (1774-1828). He lived and worked in Salisbury for most of his life, where he became well known as one of the finest local drawing masters. D.C.Read was a friend of Goethe and etched his portrait; however, the majority of his printed works are landscapes, many depicting the countryside immediately surrounding the city of Salisbury and the nearby New Forest.

David Charles Read was, for a while, a protégé of John Constable. However, their relationship soured after the young D.C.Read began to impose over much upon Constable’s goodwill in relation to furthering the exhibition of his oil paintings in the main London shows. Possibly as a result of this, D.C.Read began to turn his attention away from oil painting during the mid 1820’s, concentrating more and more upon his particular forte for original printmaking.

Whilst David Charles Read may have remained little known as a painter, he excelled as an original printmaker. His beautifully open and highly confident etched works display a spontaneity associated with fine natural talent and betray the particular influence of the Dutch masters such as Rembrandt van Rijn. Further than this, D.C.Read was one of a select group of original printmakers, along with Rev.E.T. Daniell, A. Geddes, and D. Wilkie to make extensive use of drypoint as an original printmaking technique, handing on the traditions of this important process to the mid Victorians.

David Charles Read printed his own etchings and drypoints in groups mostly between 1828 and 1845. (Two volumes of proofs were presented to the British Museum by the artist as a reference collection of his works). D.C.Read’s printings appear to have been very limited in numbers and examples of D.C.Read’s etchings are now rare. [more]