This is one of a small selection of interesting etchings by Robert Bryden that I have for sale in my online shop.
This one has a new acid-free mount on it - as photographed. This is sold UNFRAMED and this is reflected in my price.
This is one of Robert Bryden's illustrations for Burn's poem "The Deil's Awa Wi' The Exciseman".
The scene shows the Devil dancing through the streets of Dumfries with his fiddle and carrying away the eponymous exciseman. One of the Devil's cohorts follows behind with a drum. The exciseman is seen being mocked by patrons of the nearby Tappit Hen hostelry. They line the streets and point and jeer.
The song by Robert Burns says that excisemen, who collected taxes on alcohol, and chased smugglers, were bad people who deserved to be taken away by the Devil, and everyone would be so happy they would dance!
At the time he wrote the song Burns was himself serving as an exciseman. He would have been very much aware that tax collection and chasing smugglers was not always a popular occupation.
I have taken lots of images for your inspection.
Dimensions: The mount size is 34.5 x 39 cm. The image size is 21 x 27 cm.
CONDITION. The print is in excellent antique condition. It has never been framed - and it is here presented with a new cream-coloured acid-free mount. You just have to get a frame of your choice - then you can hang it on display. You can see from my photographs that the sheet the etching is printed on is nice and clean, not laid down and without issue. The print is printed on toned paper with a dark brown (not black) ink
BIOGRAPHY: Robert Bryden was born in Coylton, Ayshire in 1865. He was educated at Ayr Academy and initially worked as an architectural assistant in the offices of Hunter and Morris.
He moved to London and studied at the Royal College of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools.
He was elected an associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1891 and RE in 1899.
He travelled in Spain and Italy and on his return to Ayshire undertook a series of etchings illustrating the poems of the poet, Robert Burns. He loved the history and culture of his native Aryshire and was keen to ensure that much of it was not forgotten. He completed several series of prints featuring special sites of interest.
He produced a number of etchings during his career – but also worked with mezzotint, drypoint and woodcut. In later life, he turned to painting – but it was sculpture that became his main focus. He worked on wood carving and creating bronze memorial panels. He has two bronze portraits of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce which can be seen in Ayr Town Hall.
His work is prestigious museum collections including the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow; the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Museum.
These Burns series etchings are such fine works. My selling price reflects the relative rarity quality of Bryden's outstanding Scottish etching.
An etched portrait of Bryden as a young man (by William Strang) is in the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland.
UK Postage will be with Royal Mail Recorded Medium Parcel. This will cost £6.95 and applied to your order at the checkout.