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Prints by John Sartain
[ Prints by William Sartain | Prints by Samuel Sartain | Prints by Emily Sartain ]
[ Sartain Historical Prints ]
A handsome, full length portrait of Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), eighth president of the United States (1837-41), the first to be born in the United States. This print was produced by John Sartain (1808-1897), known as the “father of mezzotint engraving” in the U.S. popularized this elaborate printmaking process when he emigrated to this country from England in 1830. His prints always have a strong and rich texture that enhances their aesthetic qualities considerably, and the images are always historically accurate. This combination makes prints by Sartain most desirable, and this example is no exception. It is a fine example of American historical portraiture and one of Sartain’s most famous engravings. It is interesting to note that the plate for this print was later used to produce a print of Abraham Lincoln, whose head replaced that of Van Buren! The print was based on an 1839 painting by noted portrait artist Henry Inman. $1,100
James Wise. "Henry Clay." Philadelphia: James Wise, 1844. Mezzotint by John Sartain. 17 x 11 1/2. Some wear at edges of margins. Otherwise, excellent condition.
This full length portrait was issued during the 1844 presidential campaign, which was Henry Clay's (1777-1852) third and last time to be nominated by the Whigs. Fractious debates over the annexation of Texas and Oregon, as well as the policies on slavery had torn the Whig party to pieces, and the election was lost to James K. Polk (1795-1849). Little is known about James Wise (fl. 1843-1860) who worked as a portrait and miniature painter in New Orleans in 1843 and Charleston, S.C. in 1844-5. He also worked in Virginia and St. Joseph, Missouri, according to Croce and Wallace. John Sartain (1808-1897) also engraved a portrait of John C. Calhoun after this artist. Here is classic portraiture conveyed through the elegance that was so well expressed through mezzotint engraving. In a handsome suit, backed by solid pillars and surrounded by books, writing materials, and a terrestrial globe, "The Great Pacificator" stands in the pose of an ancient orator. $650
John L. Krimmel. "Home Scene-With Presents/ Returned From Market." New York: W.H. Bidwell, ca. 1844-50. First state. Mezzotint, with engraving, by John Sartain. 9 1/2 x 13 3/4. Excellent condition. Naeve, John Lewis Krimmel, #112.
A rare and wonderful American genre print issued around the middle of the nineteenth century. The image was based on a painting by John L. Krimmel (1785-1821), a German artist who came to the United States in 1810 and settled in Philadelphia. Krimmel painted portraits and miniatures, but he is particularly well known for his good-natured, elaborate street and domestic scenes. Krimmel had a wonderful manner of vividly portraying the personalities of his subject, and his scenes are renowned for their elaborate compositions and delightful humor. This print shows a father and mother just home from market, bearing presents for everyone, from grandfather, with his paper, to the babe in arms, with her rattle. Characteristically, Krimmel fills the scene with the rich details of everyday life, including farm implements and livestock as well as domestic items like a bird cage and kitchen equipment. The scene presents a whirlwind of activity upon the return the parents, but Krimmel provides a poignant and calm center to the image with a depiction of a black boy, in bare feet, holding the horse while everyone bustles about him.
Krimmel's painting is superbly rendered in mezzotint with some engraving by John Sartain (1808-1897). John, the patriarch of the Sartain family of artists and engravers, was born in England and apprenticed as an engraver. Seeking to establish himself as a printmaker, he emigrated in 1830 to Philadelphia, where he remained for the rest of his life. His copious and well-executed output earned him the title of 'father of mezzotint engraving' in the United States, where he popularized the little-known process. Over the years, John Sartain engraved many large-scale images, after such important artists as Thomas Sully, John Neagle, Peter Rothermel, George Caleb Bingham, Emanuel Leutze, F.O.C. Darley, Christian Schussele, and here John L. Krimmel. $1,400
"Henry Clay." Philadelphia: John Sartain, ca. 1850. 17 x 11 1/2. Mezzotint by J. Sartain. Very good condition.
A full length portrait of Henry Clay (1777-1852), issued around mid-century at the time of Clay's "Compromise of 1850." This was the culmination of Clay's Senatorial career, a futile attempt to keep the Union from falling apart over the issue of slavery. The print is based on an earlier image drawn by James Wise (Sartain credits to image to being based on "Original Drawings and Daguerreotypes" probably to avoid any royalty issues) which was issued during Clay's 1844 presidential campaign (cf. above). The images are very close, with Clay presented in the classic pose of an ancient orator, in a setting with globe, leather bound books, pillars and draped hanging. The only significant different is that the papers upon which Clay's left hand rests, which in the original were unidentified, here has the engraved title "Compromise." $450
James Hamilton after daguerreotypes by J.M. Hewitt. "Ashland, The Homestead of Henry Clay near Lexington, Ky." Philadelphia: Henry Sartain & Chicago: R.R. Landon, 1863. Mezzotint by John Sartain. 15 1/2 x 27. Very good condition.
Henry Clay was one of the great Americans of the nineteenth century, perhaps the greatest figure not elected President, though he ran five times from 1824 to 1848. The was the culmination of Clay's Senatorial career was the "Compromise of 1850," a futile attempt to keep the Union from falling apart over the issue of slavery. With the debate over this topic tearing apart the country that Clay worked so hard to save, many in the 1860s looked back on the "Great Compromiser" as a figure important in the struggle to preserve the Union, especially with his roots in the border state of Kentucky. This handsome image commemorating Clay shows his stately Georgian mansion, through the trees of a magnificent lawn, Clay sits in a chair under a towering tree (with a symbolically broken branch), while in the distance a pair of cows are tended by a vested gentleman in a top hat. Besides its historic interest, this is a particularly fine example of John Sartain's exceptional engraving. $975
Thomas Seir Cummings. "Henry Pratt." Mezzotint by John Sartain. 11 x 8 3/4. No date or place, but probably Philadelphia in the 1830s-40s. Excellent condition.
Henry Pratt was the second owner of Lemon Hill, one of the finest houses in Philadelphia in the first half of the nineteenth century. $125
Ferdnand T.L. Boyle. "Frank P. Blair, Jr." Philadelphia: Henry Sartain, 1862. Mezzotint by John Sartain. Facsimile signature of Blair at lower right corner. 21 1/2 x 15 1/8 (image) plus wide margins. Some time toning. Very good condition.
Born in Kentucky, Francis Preston Blair, Jr. (1821-1875) was a member of the famous Blair family of Maryland. During the 1850s, he became powerful in the St. Louis political and banking circles which were gaining ascendancy over the older agrarian ranks in the western and southern parts of the state. This print was made when Blair was in congress, where he served during the first half of the Civil War. Here the artist makes good use of props: Blair is posed beside a bust of Andrew Jackson, a strong unionist, and a book by Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri rests on the table. The congressman is surrounded by symbols of enlightenment such as a lamp, books, and maps, and of elegance, such as rich textiles and strong pilasters. $475
Ferdnand T.L. Boyle. "Frank P. Blair, Jr." Proof copy before title, signed by both artist and engraver. Some time toning and abrasion and chips to surface. A strong printing. Overall, good condition.
A proof impression of the print above. $375
John Sartain. "Rev. John Chambers. Pastor of the First Independent Church, Broad St. and Efficient Advocate of the Cause of Temperance." Philadelphia, ca. 1860. Mezzotint by John Sartain. 9 3/8 x 7. Strong impression. Trimmed at bottom margin, but with full title. Very good condition.
A typically fine mezzotint portrait by John Sartain. Known as the 'father of mezzotint engraving' in the U.S., Sartain is known particularly for his very fine portraits. This image shows John Chambers, a Philadelphia pastor involved in the Temperance movement. $85
'From an original daguerreotype.' "Lieut. General U.S. Grant." Philadelphia: Wm. Smith, [1864-5]. Mezzotint by John Sartain. 21 x 15 1/2. Very good condition.
In March of 1864 after Grant's success in Tennessee around Chattanooga Ulysses Simpson Grant (1822-1885) was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. He was soon to be transferred to the eastern front where he took over command of the Army of the Potomac. The face and head used in this portrait probably was taken from a photograph as the credit alleges. The body, his horse, and ordnance surrounding Grant was taken from a previous print done in 1848 which was a portrait of Major General Zachery Taylor. Demand for portraits of the seemingly frequent new Union leaders was filled in this case by altering an older steel plate and using the elements that were still useful. Depiction of the soldiers in the background was changed to show uniforms of the Civil War rather than the Mexican War; however, the older design of the cannon at bottom right was retained. Still, a handsome and strong portrayal of Grant the new commander and future president. $425
Christian Schussele. “How We Won The Battle." Philadelphia: Bradley & Co., 1865. 10 1/2 x 15 3/4. Mezzotint and engraving by John Sartain. Full margins. Very good condition.
A touching image of a Civil War veteran recounting “How We Won The Battle” to a group of women, (including a grieving widow), children, and one older man. The absence of young men is telling, and the soldier’s lost leg and crutches poignant. A moving tableau, the print also shows much of the middle class American home: furniture, textiles, a portrait of George Washington, a newspaper on the floor, and an almanac tied to the window ledge. This image was based on a painting by Sartain’s friend, the noted Philadelphia artist Christian Schussele. $400
Christian Schussele. “The Iron Worker and King Solomon.” Philadelphia: Bradley & Co., 1876. 17 3/4 x 25 5/8. Steel mezzotint by John Sartain. Excellent condition. Wide margins.
This strong, handsome mezzotint faithfully represents the painting by Christian Schussele, commissioned in 1864 by Philadelphia industrialist, Joseph Harrison Jr. The image concerns an iron worker who, though uninvited, appeared at the feast to celebrate the completion of the King Solomon’s temple at Jerusalem. The worker was nearly turned away until he pointed out his important role as the toolmaker for the other artisans who built the temple at Jerusalem. Upon realizing the truth of the iron worker’s words, King Solomon gave him a place of honor beside his throne. Harrison’s fortune was made in steel manufacturing, so the story had a special significance to him. The symbol of the iron worker was also an important one for the industrial northern states, whose heavy manufacturing capability allowed the North to win the Civil War and preserve the Union. This striking print is one of the best examples of John Sartain’s mezzotinting, and it is a classic American image. $600
J.R. Lambdin. "John Tyler. President of the United States." Philadelphia: William Smith, ca. 1880. Mezzotint by John Sartain. 20 1/2 x 14 3/8. Strong impression. Wide margins. Very good condition.
This print may first have been published in the 1840s, when Tyler was in office, but this issue was published by William Smith in the later part of the nineteenth century. $450
Go to page with listing of small prints by John Sartain
[ Prints by William Sartain | Prints by Samuel Sartain | Prints by Emily Sartain ]
[ Sartain Historical Prints ]
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