Currently not on view
The Bellman,
1860 –61
Samuel Palmer, 1805–1881; born Newington, England; died Redhill, England
x1970-113
In 1824, two of Blake’s most ardent followers, Samuel Palmer and Edward Calvert, formed an artistic brotherhood they called “The Ancients,” dedicated to the combination of art, literature, a reverence for nature, and ecumenical spirituality. Following Blake’s death in 1827, The Ancients moved from London to the agricultural village of Shoreham, Kent, where they developed individual styles to depict an idyllic vision of English rustic life. In Palmer’s etching, a bellman walks between rows of thatch-roofed cottages at twilight while villagers gather in their homes for supper, their cattle safely settled into the paddock at the end of the day.
Information
Title
The Bellman
Dates
1860 –61
Maker
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
plate: 19 x 25.2 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 15/16 in.)
sheet: 23 x 36.1 cm. (9 1/16 x 14 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Professor Frank Jewett Mather, Jr.
Object Number
x1970-113
Inscription
Inscribed in plate, l.r.: S. Palmer. Inv. et. Fec/Mead...; signed in pencil, l.l. margin: Samuel Palmer
Culture
Type
