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Frank Brangwyn , British, 1867-1956

Title

Santa Sophia

Date1906

MediumEtching

Dimensions

Sheet: 51 x 52 cm

Plate: 47 x 51.5 cm

Signedlower right: Frank Brangwyn

Credit LinePurchased, 2016

Object numberNGI.2016.224

DescriptionFrank Brangwyn was an influential twentieth century British printmaker and his powerful etchings are among the key works in his oeuvre. As a young man he persuaded a ship-owner, who had bought one of his paintings at the Royal Academy, to allow him to travel by freighter to Istanbul. This trip provided Brangwyn with material for several paintings and prints, including this etching. He evokes the hustle and bustle of the open space in front of the magnificent Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Built as a Christian basilica in the fourth century, it became a mosque in the fifteenth century and now houses a museum. The precise inking and wiping of the plate plays an important part in appearance of the final image and the dramatic chiaroscuro effects are a hallmark of Brangwyn’s work. He tended to produce several states of an etching, sometimes the first state would consist of only one impression, while other editions could include as many as 150 impressions. Brangwyn employed the professional printer Frederick Goulding to print many of his etchings. This impression is a signed artist’s proof.
ProvenancePurchased, James Adam's, Dublin, The Alton Collection Sale, 6th September 2016, lot 258