Who painted Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...?

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... was painted by Lumb Stocks in 1846.

Where can I see Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...?

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...?

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...?

Museum-quality prints of Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...

Lumb Stocks , 1846

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Lumb Stocks. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Mute, Gazing, Agonizing.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper right in plate: 12.; at bottom in plate: G.E. Hicks delt. / L. Stocks, sc. / Mute, gazing, agonizing, as he knelt __ / He heard some friendly words, but knew not what they were. / Art-Union of London, 1846.
Markings: Marked:stamped upper right verso in blue ink: Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington. D.C. Jun 12 1882

About this work

Overview

Mute, Gazing, Agonizing... is a black‑ink engraving on wove paper executed by the English printmaker Lumb Stocks in 1846. The work presents a compact, dramatic tableau rendered entirely in line and wash, characteristic of mid‑nineteenth‑century British printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre of the composition lies a robed figure collapsed on the ground, head bowed and arms outstretched, conveying a state of distress. To the left a woman stands in a supportive pose, while a man in hat and cloak watches from the right. A loosely rendered crowd fills the background, their indistinct faces heightening the sense of collective tension and emotional intensity.

Technique & Style

Stocks employs bold, decisive lines and graduated shading to model forms and suggest depth. The contrast between sharply defined foreground figures and the softer, less detailed background creates a visual hierarchy that draws the eye to the central figure. The engraving’s dramatic chiaroscuro and emotive composition align it with the Romantic aesthetic prevalent in the period.

History & Provenance

Created in 1846, the print was produced during the height of Stocks’ career as a reproductive engraver for literary and artistic publications. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has appeared in several nineteenth‑century catalogues of British prints and is now held in public and private collections that focus on Romantic-era graphic art.