The Silver Age
Original title: The Sliver Age
kurzbeschreibung
John Raphael Smith's "The Silver Age," dated January 30, 1778, is a mezzotint in the second of two states. It depicts a young woman in traditional dress seated on a rock, with a basket of chickens beside her. A landscape of trees and rock formations fills the background, where a tower can be made out.
Description
Your eye settles first on the seated young woman resting on a rock, the chicken basket close at her side. She wears a wide-brimmed hat, a jacket, and a ribbed skirt. Behind her, a landscape of trees and rocks opens up, revealing a view of a village with a tower. The circular image field remains in black and white, alive with the soft tonal gradations characteristic of mezzotint.
Context
The print was made in England in 1778, a time when graphic prints were in high demand. Smith, an English painter and printmaker, was regarded as a skilled master of mezzotint reproduction. The subject of the "Silver Age" refers to ancient mythology, in which this era stands for peace and abundance. That Smith published the sheet himself speaks for his independence as an artist.
Impact
Gentle transitions from light to dark give the scene a quiet, idyllic feel. The woman with the basket, set within the calm landscape, evokes a sense of nostalgia and carries the viewer into a harmonious, long-vanished time.
Technique
The sheet was produced in mezzotint, a process in which the printing plate is roughened and then smoothed in places to create tonal gradations. The present example is the second of two states, indicating later reworking of the plate. The sheet measures 49.5 × 59.2 cm, the plate 48 × 57.5 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)