Open full image Pin

Sir Aston Cockain, Poet

Unknown 19th Century

1850

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Sir Aston Cockain, Poet is a 1850 ink by Unknown 19th Century, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown 19th Century
When & what style?: 1850 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This engraving depicts a bust of a man with long, wavy hair and a laurel wreath on his head. He wears a draped robe, and the bust sits on a pedestal with an inscription at the base. The inscription reads, "Come Reader, thy Half Crown, and be a Guest / To our Barnabas; 'Tis the Mules feast / The entertainment needo must be divine / Apollo's tb' Hoft where Cockaine Heady Sign." The engraving is done in a stipple style, with tiny dots creating the image. The background is a plain gray, which helps the bust stand out. If you're interested in learning more about this style of engraving, you might want to look into the technique of cross-hatching.