At Scoulton

John Crome is today viewed not only as a most accomplished painter of the famous Norwich School of artists but as a catalyst for the English etching revival of the 19th century. Mainly self-taught, Crome began his education by copying the old masters. It was here he first became acquainted with the landscape art of the 17th century Dutch school, and their art, particularly Ruisdael and Hobbema, proved a lifelong inspiration. Crome was a founding member and President of the Norwich Society of Artists (1803) and exhibited frequently at both the Royal Academy and the British Institution.

In total Crome created 33 etchings in hard and soft grounds, all apparently dating from 1809 to 1813. He did not publish any of his original etchings during his lifetime and printed only a handful of impressions for his friends and fellow artists. These comprise the very rare first states which are almost exclusively in the collections of British public museums. It was not until 1834, thirteen years after Crome's death, that his widow published sets of thirty-one of his etchings in a limited edition of 60 impressions. At Scoulton is from this set.

Crome's narrow composition uses trees near a pool to celebrate the rustic beauty of  his native county of Norfolk and provide a vista across to a towered Norfolk church in the distance. The print is based on plein-air (on the spot) sketches, a working method which explains the fresh naturalism here, and which helped inspire the Etching Revival half a century later.

See:

See: Art of the Print, http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/crome_john_roadscenehethersett.htm

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/720835

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator Historical International Art   April 2018