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William
Holman Hunt O.M.
London 1827 - 1910 London
Co-founder
of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Holman Hunt
was alone in remaining true to the society’s
principles throughout his career.
From
1854 he made a number of journeys to Egypt and
Palestine to paint Biblical scenes ‘in situ’,
with minute precision and accuracy to local detail.
Hunt
had taken up etching about 1850, perhaps specifically
for inclusion in The Germ. Thoughts
towards Nature in Poetry, Literature, Art,
the Pre-Raphaelite’s journal started in January
1851 to promote the Brotherhood’s ideas.
Edited by Rossetti, the Germ only ran
to four monthly issues, each of which had an etched
frontispiece.
Like
a few of his fellow Brothers, Hunt also joined
The Etching Club. He only etched a total of five
plates, four being issued in Etching Club publications.
The
Desolation of Egypt
Hartnoll 15
49 x 105 mm
Original etching, c1854-57. The plate lettered with the artist's name and the plate number (21). As issued in Etchings
for the Art Union of London by The Etching Club, 1857. Edition of 500. On laid india paper. Trimmed in the margins. A little rubbed and other small defects in the margins.
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Additional
Information about the Print
Hunt
probably began the plate on which both the ‘Abundance’ and ‘Desolation’ were
etched in Egypt in 1854, when he was working
on his painting ‘Afterglow in Egypt’.
For publication by the Etching Club in their Etchings
for the Art-Union of London volume the
plate was cut into two and each image given
separate consecutive plate numbers.
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