Head of a young boy holding a book: P.14814-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Head of a young boy holding a book

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Green, Benjamin
Draughtsman: Bossi, Benigno (After)

Entities

Description

Soft-ground etching on laid paper. Head and shoulders of a boy with unkempt, dark hair, directed towards the right, head turned three-quarters towards the viewer and holding an open book before him at the far right with one hand visible. This is a copy in reverse by Benjamin Green after a print dated 1758 by Benigno Bossi, from his series, 'Raccolta di teste' ['Collection of heads'] (1755-1789). Scratched below the image border at lower left: 'Louthenburg Del' and at lower right: 'B Green Sc.'. Inscription in graphite on the verso: '6'. This number clearly relates to Bossi's 'Raccolta di teste' series, as the original is number 6 of 43. This is a scratched letter proof state. The attribution to the artist Philip James de Loutherbourg, 'Louthenburg del' is not only incorrectly spelled but also erroneous. Green was also making copies after prints by de Loutherbourg around the same date that he was copying Bossi, so this is probably a mistake made by a studio assistant. The prints by Green after de Loutherbourg and Bossi held at the British Museum have engraved production details rather than scratched and with the correct spelling of de Loutherbourg. See Notes.