BONNEFOY after Richard Westall

INNOCENT REVENGE

A charming, colour printed stipple plate engraving by Bonnefoy after the painting by Richard Westall RA, published in London in 1799.

Very little is known about Bonnefoy, the engraver of this piece, except that he worked in London at the end of the eighteenth century and was one of the many artists who became accomplished in the art of stipple engraving. This method, originally developed in France, became very popular in late eighteenth century England and produces images that are remarkable for their delicacy of touch and subtlety of colour. The effect is produced by indenting a copper plate thousands of times, applying the ink and then taking an impression on paper. Any finer detail was then subsequently applied by hand.

Prints with a sentimental subject matter such as this were very popular in late Georgian England and became an essential component of the Georgian and Regency interior.

£1,200