The artist, or Young ladies' instructor in ornamental painting, drawing, etc.

Abstract

First edition. Of special interest here for the long and informative chapter on Japanning. Particularlyimportant also for its early George Baxter colour print, and noted by Ruari McLean as “a charming little book with a floral border to the title page printed in colours, and, as frontispiece, a Baxter reproduction of a painting by Gainsborough printed (as it is stated proudly in the book’s Preface) from no less than 12 wood blocks” - Vict. book design, p. 38, wherein is also reproduced the decorative title page. The frontispiece is reproduced in C. T. C. Lewis, George Baxter, no. 7. It is also included in Joan Friedman’s Color printing in England, no 45: “[The frontispiece] represents Baxter’s designs using coloured wood blocks immediately before the introduction of an engraved key plate into his prints. The exactitude of his work is remarkable...Baxter may be seen as showing off the superiority of his own skills over Savage’s by choosing a Gainsborough oil painting for imitation in a small scale print”. Abbey, Life, 126. (Charles Wood, Cat. 160)