IT is foreign to my purpose to criticize the works of brother artists of
the present day. I behold their excellent productions with pleasure; in
them there is no falling off: they surpass those of the artists of the
olden times. I cannot, however, help lamenting that, in all the
vicissitudes which the art of wood engraving has undergone, some species
of it is lost and done away: I mean the large blocks with the prints
from them, so common to be seen when I was a boy in every cottage and
farm house throughout the country. These blocks, I suppose, from their
size, must have been cut on the plank way on beach, or some other kind
of close-grained wood; and from the immense number of impressions from
them, so cheaply and extensively spread over the whole country, must
have given employment to a great number of artists, in this inferior
department of wood cutting; and must also have formed to them an
important article of traffic. These prints, which were sold at a very
low price, were commonly illustrative of some memorable exploits, or
were, perhaps, the portraits of eminent men, who had distinguished
themselves in the service of their country, or in their patriotic
exertions to serve mankind. Besides these, there were a great variety of
other designs, often with songs added to them of a moral, a patriotic,
or a rural tendency, which served to enliven the circle in which they
were admired. To enumerate the great variety of these _pictures_ would
be a task. A constant one in every house, was “King Charles’ Twelve Good
Rules.” Amongst others were representations of remarkable victories at
sea, and battles on land, often accompanied with portraits of those who
commanded, and others who had borne a conspicuous part in these contests
with the enemy. The house at Ovingham, where our dinner poke was taken
care of when at school, was hung round with views or representations of
the battles of Zondorf, and several others; also the portraits of Tom
Brown, the valiant grenadier, of Admiral Haddock, Admiral Benbow, and
other portraits of admirals. There was also a representation of the
“Victory” man-of-war, of 100 guns, commanded by Admiral Sir John
Balchen, and fully manned with 1,100 picked seamen and volunteers, all
of whom, with this uncommonly fine ship, were lost—_sunk to the bottom
of the sea_. This was accompanied by a poetical lament of the
catastrophe, part of which was—
“Ah! hapless Victory, what avails
Thy towering masts, thy spreading sails.”
Some of the portraits, I recollect, now and then to be met with, were
very well done in this way, on wood. In Mr. Gregson’s kitchen, one of
this character hung against the wall many years. It was a remarkably
good likeness of Captain Coram. In cottages everywhere were to be seen
the “Sailor’s Farewell” and his “Happy Return,” “Youthful Sports,” and
the “Feats of Manhood,” “The Bold Archers Shooting at a Mark,” “The Four
Seasons,” &c. Some subjects were of a funny—others of a grave character.
I think the last portraits I remember were of some of the rebel lords
and “Duke Willy.” These kind of wood cut pictures are long since quite
gone out of fashion, which I feel very sorry for, and most heartily wish
they could be revived. It is desirable, indeed, that the subjects should
be well chosen; for it must be of great importance that such should be
the case; as, whatever can serve to instil morality and patriotism into
the minds of the whole people must tend greatly to promote their own
happiness and the good of the community. All men, however poor they may
be, ought to feel that this is their country, as well as it is that of
the first nobleman of the land; and, if so, they will be equally as
interested in its happiness and prosperity.
There is another way, not yet indeed entered upon, of similar import to
the foregoing, in which prints might with good effect be made of
subjects fit to embellish almost every house throughout our country: and
that is from wood blocks printed in colours, like paper-hangings. Having
seen some such done by paper-stainers, so as almost to equal good
paintings, leads me to wish that this method could be pursued—for the
same ends as those already noticed. The most remarkable productions of
art of this kind from blocks done to print in colours, like beautiful
little paintings, were sent to me by Gubitz, of Berlin; they might
indeed be said to be perfection. Several impressions from duplicate or
triplicate blocks, printed in this way, of a very large size, were also
given to me, as well as a drawing of the press from which they were
printed, many years ago, by Jean Baptiste Jackson, who had been
patronized by the king of France; but, whether these prints had been
done with the design of embellishing the walls of houses in that
country, I know not. They had been taken from paintings of eminent old
masters, and were mostly Scripture pieces. They were well drawn, and
perhaps correctly copied from the originals, yet in my opinion none of
them looked well. Jackson left Newcastle quite enfeebled with age, and,
it was said, ended his days in an asylum, under the protecting care of
Sir Gilbert Elliot, bart., at some place on the border near the Teviot,
or on Tweedside.
Whether the speculations here noticed may be thought worthy of being
acted upon, I know not, but it is not to any of the above noticed ways
of wood cutting that my attention is directed: it is, in my ardent
desire to see the _stroke_ engraving on wood carried to the utmost
perfection, that I hope the world will be gratified; and I trust the
time is not distant when its superior excellence will be seen,
particularly in landscape scenery, so as to surpass bank notes
engravings. The effect to be produced by wood engraving has not, in that
way, yet been tried, nor its powers made apparent. This is, I think, to
be attained by two, or even more, blocks being employed, on one print,
so that a greater and more natural effect—as to colour and softness—may
be produced. I am well aware that some difficulty may arise, as to
bringing off a clear impression of fine strokes from so large a surface,
but in this age of mechanical improvement and invention, I think this
apparent difficulty will readily be got over. Perhaps printing from a
roller, instead of an even down pull, may easily accomplish this
business. I have often thought, had William Woollett been a wood
engraver, he would have shown its excellence long ago: his prints from
copper have not been equalled; but, from the nature of the wood, and the
effect it produces, he would have advanced a step further, and on it
have outdone his excellence on copper. If I live, health and sight
continued, I will make the attempt to show that all this is not a
visionary theory. Should I not live to get this Memoir printed under my
own inspection,—or whether it will ever be printed at all, I know
not,—but at any rate the manuscript itself will show, were that
necessary, how ardently I have ever wished well to arts and artists; and
though, in my endeavours to show this, I have often been thwarted and
disappointed, yet I never lost sight of my object, nor became
disheartened in my struggles to fight through, and surmount numberless
difficulties and bars thrown in my way.
I have already noticed my brother John, as my first pupil, and therefore
have little further to say respecting him, only, that Nature seemed to
have befitted him for becoming a first-rate artist; but, at the time he
was with me, the thoughts of arriving at excellence did not enter into
our heads, and he left the world at the time when wood engraving was
only beginning to be looked upon as a matter of any interest. And, now
when the time is fast approaching for my winding up all my labours, I
may be allowed to name my own son and partner, whose time has been taken
up with attending to all the branches of our business: and who, I trust,
will not let wood engraving go down; and, though he has not shown any
partiality towards it, yet the talent is there, and I hope he will call
it forth.
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------