Portrait engraving by John Swaine (1775-1860) after Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727-1785)
- [London] , 1800
[London], 1800. Sheet size 170 x ca. 107 mm. The composer is depicted full length, seated, a partial view of an organ to his right; a quill pen in his left hand is poised above a sheet of music manuscript paper with another bifolium at lower left; a putto above his head holds a banner lettered "Handel," a winged figure places a laurel wreath on his head. On wove paper.
Somewhat worn and browned; trimmed to within platemark at upper and right margin; right margin with small stitching holes, evidence of disbinding. National Portrait Gallery (London), NPG D3209 and 3210 (variant; the present print with "J. Swaine Sc." to lower left below image, that of the NPG prints with "Engraved by J. Swaine" to lower right below image. "The original painting or drawing by Cipriani that Swaine copied does not appear to be among the most famous, standard portraits of the composer, which include works by artists such as Thomas Hudson and Jacob Houbraken)." National Portrait Gallery website
Swaine was a noted draughtsman and printmaker, Cipriani a painter and engraver.
Somewhat worn and browned; trimmed to within platemark at upper and right margin; right margin with small stitching holes, evidence of disbinding. National Portrait Gallery (London), NPG D3209 and 3210 (variant; the present print with "J. Swaine Sc." to lower left below image, that of the NPG prints with "Engraved by J. Swaine" to lower right below image. "The original painting or drawing by Cipriani that Swaine copied does not appear to be among the most famous, standard portraits of the composer, which include works by artists such as Thomas Hudson and Jacob Houbraken)." National Portrait Gallery website
Swaine was a noted draughtsman and printmaker, Cipriani a painter and engraver.