This is another sought-after etching & drypoint by the celebrated marine artist, William Lionel Wyllie.
This view is one of three similar drypoints that Wyllie produced looking across the London cityscape to St Paul's from a variety Thames Bridges. This one is a little stranger and more fanciful.
This composition and site of the structure look similar to old Waterloo Bridge as seen from the left side. The dome of St Paul’s is prominent at the centre of the skyline and Cleopatra’s Needle is visible on the Embankment, far left.
However, Wyllie seems to have had a little fun with us and has played about with adding a lot of imaginary architectural details in this etching. He was trained as an architect and has created (in ink) his very own crossing over the River. He has added some fantastical embellishments to the structure - such as two of the bridge’s supports that appear to have been carved into the shape of a sailing warship’s bows. He has also named this bridge after himself in the title of the artwork "The Imaginary W.L. Bridge". I love it when artists have a wee joke with us!
Another similar work by Wyllie shows London Bridge from the front and cuts off the smoking chimneys on the right-hand side. Another view is taken a little further looking across Blackfriars Bridge from the right.
Despite playing about and adding imaginary details to the bridge - this fine, carefully observed etching shows an accurate panoramic view of London. The artist is looking from his bridge straddling the River. In the very centre of the sheet is the dome of St Paul's. It is interesting to see all the industrial chimneys in central London and the smoke from industry billowing into the air. The skyline of Old London has certainly changed a lot since the first half of the 20th century. The print dates to before the 1920s. The Thames is shown with little steamboats, tugs and rowing boats. A large sailing ship with furled sails can be seen in the distance on the shores in front of the Cathedral.
Wyllie was born in London in 1851. He studied at the Royal Academy Schools (1866-69), where he won the Turner Medal in his final year. He worked as a marine illustrator for the Graphic between 1870 and 1890.
Wyllie was Marine Painter to the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, and did much work, including posters, for the Orient Company, the White Star Line and the Union-Castle Line. Between 1924 and 1930 he worked on a fabulous panoramic oil painting depicting the Battle of Trafalgar for the Victory Museum, Portsmouth.
His work is held in major British galleries and museums, including the Tate, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
This is NOT a reproduction but an original Wyllie drypoint etching. It has a plate mark and all the lines are nice sooty drypoint ones. The print does not appear to have been signed by Wyllie - which is very strange - perhaps it was a proof impression taken by him to check how the plate was progressing - as all the drypoint detail is crisp and it looks like there has been little wear to the copperplate it has been printed from. It is certainly a possible explanation for the lack of signature on this fine impression. This has been taken into account with my pricing of this work.
As you can see from all my images, it is a fine clean impression and all of the drypoint details are exquisite and very fine. Please look at all of these in close-up. There is a pronounced plate mark at the corners and have photographed the indenture for your inspection.
It is in very good condition with no foxing or marks on the sheet. It is beautifully presented in a simple black framed (it was framed at the framing department of the prestigious Edinburgh Gallery, Bourne Fine Art). It is ready for you to just hang on your wall.
Dimensions: Frame size 39.5 x 53 cm. Image size is 22.3 x 37 cm
Unpacked the framed etching is over 2 kg - so it will have to be sent to you with Parcelforce24 and insured. This will cost £14.95 and applied to your order at checkout. Free Local delivery in Edinburgh.