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Miss Beatson

Print
01/07/1770 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Who was Elizabeth Judkins? (about 1756 –1819)
Born London, made prints in London
Printmaking activity: 1770 –1775
Elizabeth Judkins was trained by her brother-in-law, James Watson. Like Watson, she capitalised on the demand for prints made in the mezzotint technique, after painted portraits. She exhibited three mezzotints at the Society of Artists annual exhibition in London in 1772 and 1775. For unknown reasons, Judkins stopped making prints after 1775. However, she continued to live with her niece, Caroline Watson, who became the most prolific engraver in the family. It is likely that she assisted her niece with the day-to-day running of her workshop.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMiss Beatson (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Mezzotint
Brief description
Portrait of Helena (née Beatson) when a child, mezzotint by Elizabeth Judkins after Katherine Rad, London, 1770.
Physical description
Portrait of Helena (Née Beatson) when a child, three-quarter-length, seated with a large dog and facing slightly right.
Dimensions
  • Cut to height: 34.3cm
  • Cut to width: 25.4cm
Dimensions taken from Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1959. London: HMSO, 1964.
Style
Copy number
1st? state
Marks and inscriptions
'C. Read Pinxit. Elizth. Judkins fecit.' (Lettered with name of sitter.)
Gallery label
(2022)
This mezzotint is a celebration of the artistic achievement of three women artists: the printmaker Elizabeth Judkins, the painter Catherine Read, and the sitter Helena Beatson. Judkins’ skill with the mezzotint scraper has created a velvety, soft, two-toned portrait of the young artist. Such is the quality of Judkins’ mezzotints that in the 20th century, one art historian declared that they must have been made by a man.
Credit line
Given by Mrs E. B. Westwood
Subjects depicted
Summary
Who was Elizabeth Judkins? (about 1756 –1819)
Born London, made prints in London
Printmaking activity: 1770 –1775
Elizabeth Judkins was trained by her brother-in-law, James Watson. Like Watson, she capitalised on the demand for prints made in the mezzotint technique, after painted portraits. She exhibited three mezzotints at the Society of Artists annual exhibition in London in 1772 and 1775. For unknown reasons, Judkins stopped making prints after 1775. However, she continued to live with her niece, Caroline Watson, who became the most prolific engraver in the family. It is likely that she assisted her niece with the day-to-day running of her workshop.
Bibliographic references
  • Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1959 . London: HMSO, 1964.
  • Smith, John Chaloner. British Mezzotinto Portraits. London: Henry Sotheran & Co., 1883.
Collection
Accession number
E.430-1959

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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