"Children Playing at Soldiers." Color mezzotint on paper. Published in London, Aug 5, 1788, by I. R. Smith, 31 King Street Covent Garden. White frame and mat, under glass. Impression measures approx. 19" x 22-1/2"; framed overall approx. 23" x 27". Second color mezzotint is called "St. James's Park," hand colored by George Morland and engraved by F. Soiron. Published in London, Jan 7th, 1790 by T. Gaugain N9 Manor Street Chelsea. Framed under glass, oval image measures approx. 15" x 18"; framed overall approx. 20" x 23".
At a very early age Morland produced sketches of remarkable promise, exhibiting some at the Royal Academy in 1773, when he was ten years old, and continuing to exhibit at the Free Society of Artists in 1775 and 1776, and at the Society of Artists in 1777, and then sending again to the Royal Academy in 1778, 1779 and 1780. His very earliest work, however, was produced even before that tender age, as his father kept a drawing which the boy had executed when he was four years old, representing a coach and horses and two footmen. He was a student at the Royal Academy in early youth, but only for a very short time. From the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to his father for seven years, and by means of his talent appears to have kept the family together. He had opportunities at this time of seeing some of the greatest artists of the day, and works by old masters, but even then a strange repugnance for educated society showed itself, and no persuasion, for example, could ever allure him within reach of the Angerstein gallery, where he would have been a welcome visitor. Before his apprenticeship came to an end, George Romney offered to take Morland into his studio for three years, with a salary of 300 a year, but the offer was rejected. he felt the need to be free and left his home as soon as it was possible. In 1785 he was in France and where he had no lack of commissions, and in the following year he married Anne, the sister of William Ward, the engraver, and settled down in High Street, Marylebone. Many of his works are in the major museum collections throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Tate Britain, London.
100/200 Sold $138.00
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