Carington Bowles.

Boy taking a Birds Nest.

12.5 x 16.5 inches

A reverse glass print published by Carington Bowles and issued circa 1800.

These "Reverse Glass Prints" have fluctuated in and out of fashion throughout the decades since they were first manufactured towards the end of the C18th . Who can forget the wonderful dining room at the Basil Street Hotel where dozens of these prints festooned the walls and magically reflected the candlelight! They are the result of a delicate and complicated preparation whereby a sheet of glass was varnished and a damp piece of paper with newly inked print was applied. Much of the paper was then removed and colours applied from behind with a final coat of varnish added before inserting into a tight frame. Needless to say, these hybrids that combine the qualities of print and oil, were very fragile and susceptible to breakages so a relatively small number have survived intact. At first glance this image appears to show a charming bucolic scene of a young boy exploring in the woods but on closer inspection we see that he is actually raiding a bird's nest and purloining the chicks!