Study above: pwu, Winchelsea, Black Mill, pencil and wash drawing, monogram b.c. Ill: Zwanzig Graphische Arbeiten, (9). Vere Cole Diana, Brangwyn in Perspective, One Roof Press, 2006
Finished etching above
1908
Zinc, 57.7×67.8cm
Edition: 1st (trial) state: 2 impressions. 2nd (published) state: 70 proofs. Effect of light streaming outwards from centre of plate strengthened. Gaunt states wrongly that the plate was destroyed.
Owners: Amsterdam (RP-P-1927-830, 2nd state). Brighton (FA207149) Brangwyn gift, 1935. Brussels (S.III 65673). Cardiff (NMW A1779). Chicago (1927.2370 2nd state) Charles Deering Collection. Doncaster (175.44, 2nd state) Brangwyn gift, 1944. Glasgow (PR.1944.3.bf, 2nd state) Brangwyn gift, 1944. London BM (1915,0109.15) signed in pencil. Melbourne (3695/3, chine collé on cream wove), signed b.r., Felton bequest, 1928. Northampton (1933-4.19), donated by Mrs E A Marlow. Sydney (5782, 2nd state) signed in full b.r., purchased 1912. Tokyo (DEP.G 1985-47).
Possibly New York Public Library, Rome, Vienna
Related work: Harvesters (E917) (pE172) was cut from this plate.
Lit: Newbolt, 1908 (131). FAS, 1912 (135). Shaw Sparrow, 1919, p101-102. Gaunt, 1926 (135). Penrose Annual The, Laver James, ‘The Graphic Art of Frank Brangwyn’, Volume 51, 1957, p30. Whistler to Freud: etching in Great Britain, Sydney, 2001. Horner, 2023, pE99
Ill: Studio The, West W K, ‘Some examples of recent work by Mr Frank Brangwyn ARA’, Vol 52, No 215, February 1911, p22. FAS, 1912 (135, 2nd state). Frank Brangwyn. Uber 80 Radierungen u. Lithographien mit 10 Abbildungen, Galerie Ernst Arnold, Dresden-Breslau, 1912. Kunst Für Alle, Utitz-Rostock Dr Emil, ‘Was Ist Stil?’, XXVII, 1 March 1912, p256. Soulier Gustave, Frank Brangwyn et ses eaux fortes, Paris: Librairie G Baranger Fils, 1912, p2. Craftsman The, Reuterdahl Henry, ‘Frank Brangwyn: Painter-Etcher’, XXIII, 4 January 1913, p383 (courtesy C W Kraushaur). Shaw Sparrow, 1915, facing p188. Gaunt, 1926 (135, 2nd state). Horner, 2023, pE99
Exh: Chicago, 1912 (28). Dresden-Breslau, 1912 (36) 325 M. Manchester, 1912 (15) 15 guineas. Paris, 1912. Melbourne, 1913, 20 guineas. Paris, 1915 (45). Tokyo, 1918. Queen’s Gate, 1924 (96). Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1925 (43). Melbourne, 1928 (27) listed as ‘rare’. Brighton, 1935 (99). Melle, 1988 (45). Sydney, 2001 (10)
The etching was based on a drawing. Hillock foreground right with labourers walking to right. A wooden fence leads the eye to the black mill standing atop the rise. Bright landscape background left, low horizon with sun’s rays spreading to the corners of the plate.
Sparrow disliked the figure silhouetted on the mound and wanted him replaced by a flock of birds.
St Leonard’s Mill dates from 1760 and stood on the remains of St Leonard’s church. It was a post mill with a single storey roundhouse and was unfortunately demolished by the Great Storm of 1987.
Print Prices Current – sold for £8 8s 7/11/19
FAS 1912 15 guineas