Charles Cousen’s engraving, “Bacchus and Ariadne”, 1859-61, after Turner

Charles Cousen (c1819–1889)

“Bacchus and Ariadne”, 1859-61, after Joseph Mallord William Turner’s (1775–1851) famous painting in the Tate Gallery (see https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-bacchus-and-ariadne-n00525), from the series, “The Turner Gallery” (1859–1861), published as an illustration to “The Art Journal” of 1860 by Virtue & Co (1820s–1908) in London and in 1879 (as is the case with this impression) in New York by D. Appleton & Co (1831–) in “The Turner Gallery; a series of one hundred and twenty engravings from the works of the late J.M.W. Turner, R.A.”, vol. 1 (see: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008236784/page/n83/mode/2up).

Engraving and etching on heavy wove paper trimmed within the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 44 x 38.3 cm; (sheet) 29.1 x 24.2 cm; (dia. image borderline) 21.7 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “J. M. W. TURNER, R. A, PINX^T.”; (centre) “BACCHUS AND ARIADNE./ D. D. APPLETON & C^O. NEW YORK.”; (right) “C. COUSEN, SCULP^T.”

Rawlinson 741 (W.G. Rawlinson 1913, “The Engraved Work of J. M. W. Turner, R.A.”, vol. 1, London, Macmillan, p. cviii, cat. no. 741 and vol. 2, p. 359).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print in the edition published by Virtue & Co: “Classical landscape in a circle, with Bacchus on bank at left in a crowd of revellers with cloak swirling around him, Araidne below with putti at her feet, the sun setting over the water at right, a temple on the hill at left; after JMW Turner (Butlin & Joll 382); later edition, illustration to the Art Journal of 1860” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1872-1012-2400).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression, trimmed within the platemark and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing larger margins. The sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this stunningly strong engraving after Turner, showing a thickset Ariadne averting her gaze in an unsubtle way from the amorous advance of Bacchus as he leaps from his chariot, for AU$212 (currently US$146.38/EUR135.61/GBP118.69 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this very beautiful engraving after Turner’s famous painting, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold