Mortimer Menpes was born in Australia in 1855. He settled in London in the 1880s and became a protége of James McNeill Whistler.
In 1880, Menpes set off on a sketching tour of Brittany and met up with Whistler. He became his pupil, and at one stage shared a flat with him at Cheyne Walk on the Chelsea Embankment in London. He was taught etching by Whistler and soon became a major figure in the etching revival.
Menpes became a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers (RE) in 1881, the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) in 1885, the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) in 1897 and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) in 1899. In 1904 he published his memoir of his time with Whistler, Whistler as I Knew Him. Mortimer Menpes died in Pangebourne on April 1, 1938.
A "born raconteur", Menpes was also a fixture of British high society, and he became renowned for hosting soirées at his Japanese-style home. These Sloane Square events were attended by a wide circle of artists, writers, socialites and other prominent figures. He was the godfather of Oscar Wilde's son Vyvyan.
This fine drypoint dates to 1900 and shows a panoramic view looking across the River Thames towards the Tower of London. The print is very atmospheric with a lot of velvety drypoint. Menpes shows a group of barges in the foreground - a motif reminiscent of gondolas which appear in his Whistlerian images of Venice. He certainly enjoyed depicting all the architectural features of The Tower and the Embankment.
It is a harder to find work by Menpes and much sought after. It was originally purchased from The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.
Menpes believed that artists should do their own printing and, like Whistler, he sought out a variety of antique papers, often book end-papers, often preferring old papers that had some degree of aging, feeling they were softer and held the ink better than new sheets.
My drypoint is in excellent condition and comes framed. It is pencil-signed by Menpes in the bottom right corner. It is all ready for you to just hang on your wall.
Dimensions: Image size is 16.4 x 31.3 cm. The frame is 37.5 x 50 cm.
It is listed at a very fair price for this attractive and indeed iconic London cityscape by Menpes. You will not be disappointed with it.
UK Postage will be with Parcelforce24. This will be applied to your order at the checkout.