The Engraver and Mr. Turner

The Engraver and Mr. Turner explores how paintings by English artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851) were reproduced through the medium of engraving. Since the late 16th century, printmakers have made reproductive prints to capture the image of a painting, drawing, or sculpture. In most cases, the engraver collaborated with the artist to create the print, so the result was as close to the artist’s original intent as possible. To reproduce an image, the engraver would have to create an image on the plate in reverse so that it printed in the “correct” orientation. These prints were intended to promote the art of another artist, so they would have been seen as a different art form than an original print.