John Crome

1768 – 1821

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A Composition: Men and Cows c.1809/10

Original etching and softground etching.

Beautiful early impression as completed by John Crome, prior to any of the re-work. From the first published edition of 60 impressions, as issued by Mrs. Crome, the artist's widow.

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The founder and leading figure of the Norwich Society (often known as the Norwich School of artists), John Crome was a truly naturalistic painter of the countryside. Unbiased by the mainstream of artistic tendencies in the England of his day, his inspiration was drawn from the Dutch landscape tradition and from the quiet countryside surrounding his Norfolk home. The beauty of John Crome’s original etchings lies in his delightfully fresh approach to the interpretation of light through a remarkably free and vivacious use of the etched line.

None of John Crome's etchings was published in any formal edition during his lifetime, the first published edition being issued by his widow in 1834 in a limited release of 60 impressions of each work printed on chine collé laid on warm white wove backing paper. After Mrs Crome's edition, the plates were heavily reworked by H. Ninham and W.C. Edwards, their whole character and charm being changed from the artist's original conceptions. [more]