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April

Watercolour
c.1785 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a set of 12 allegorical representations of The Months, produced c.1785, showing women occupied indoors or in the country, and wearing costumes appropriate to each month. A set of mezzotints by Carrington Bowles was published after these watercolours c.1790. Dighton was a colourful character, well known as a caricaturist but also remembered as an actor, drawing master and printseller and, somewhat notoriously, for stealing prints from the British Museum.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • April (assigned by artist)
  • The Months (allegorical representations of)
Materials and techniques
Ink, water and body-colour on paper
Brief description
Robert Dighton: April. From The Months. c.1785.
Physical description
Image of a standing woman, in late 18th c. dress, facing left, outdoors and in outdoor dress (elaborate hat, parasol, gloves). Her head is inclined toward a nosegay which she holds up in her right hand. Her left hand, at her side, holds a closed parasol. The end of a balustrade, on which stands a potted polyanthus, can be seen to the left of the image. In the background is a landscape of parkland, with trees on the horizon line. The palette is mainly blues, greens and browns.
Dimensions
  • Average height: 32.4cm
  • Average width: 24.8cm
the dimensions are the average for the complete set of 'The Months' E.33-E.44-1947
Production
One of a set of 12 allegorical representations of The Months.
Subject depicted
Summary
This is one of a set of 12 allegorical representations of The Months, produced c.1785, showing women occupied indoors or in the country, and wearing costumes appropriate to each month. A set of mezzotints by Carrington Bowles was published after these watercolours c.1790. Dighton was a colourful character, well known as a caricaturist but also remembered as an actor, drawing master and printseller and, somewhat notoriously, for stealing prints from the British Museum.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design & Department of Paintings, Accessions 1947, London: HMSO, 1950.
Collection
Accession number
E.36-1947

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Record createdJanuary 2, 2009
Record URL
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