1739 - Red Winter Cherries - Antique Print

1739

Maker: Elizabeth Blackwell

Antique hand-colored copper plate engraving botanical print of Red Winter Cherries. Published in A Curious Herbal, 1737-1739 by Elizabeth Blackwell. Her work is particularly notable because she produced it entirely herself- from the initial drawing to engraving the printing plate to printing to hand-coloring. She created these works as a weekly series to earn money while her husband was in debtor's prison. She succeeded in freeing him with her earnings, although he eventually left her to go to Sweden, where he became embroiled in a courtly intrigue involving the line of succession, and was executed for conspiracy in 1748. Elizabeth did not produce any other known botanical works, and she died 1758. Fair to good antique condition with mild toning of the paper and some tiny spots. Notable hole in the middle of the image. Image measures approximately 12" x 8" overall. Paper size is approx. 16.5 x 10.5 inches.

Item Number: NAT1053