Artist: John Opie (British, 1761-1807), portrait and history painter; trained by William Wolcot.
Engraver: Thomas Holloway (British, 1749-1827), painter in crayons, reproductive engraver, and publisher of his own work.
Title: Joan of Arc declaring her mission. [To save France by expelling its enemies, and installing Charles as its rightful king].
Signed, Numbered, Titled, and Dated: J. Opie R.A. pinxt. T. Holloway sculp. Joan of Arc declaring her mission. Published May 12. 1796 by R. Bowyer Historic Gallery, Pall Mall. (Inscription is cut off and is reproduced here for reference purposes only).
Dimensions: 12 3/4" x 8 3/4". Sheet trimmed to borderline.
Publisher: Thomas Holloway (British, 1758-1834), miniature painter and print publisher; proprietor of the Historic Gallery of paintings commissioned to be engraved to illustrate Hume's History.
Edition: David Hume. History of England. [Hume's History spanned "from the invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution of 1688" and went through over 100 editions. Many considered it the standard history of England in its day].
Date: 1796.
Materials and Techniques: etching and engraving on wove paper.
Provenance: The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965-2000.
Condition: Glue residue and hinges remnants verso. Margins trimmed to borderline. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Part of: Bowyer's history of England.
Museums and Libraries: The British Museum 1858,1009.133.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: British School XVIII C.
Note: This entry incorporates text from Wikipedia and the catalog entry of the same item from the British Museum collection.