1896 Photogravure: Forging the Anchor

1896 Photogravure: Forging the Anchor 
This is an original 1896 first impression photogravure by the lithographers of Goupil of a painting by Stanhope A. Forbes, A.R.A. depicting a gang of blacksmiths forging at the anvil, a large anchor which glows white hot, is the brightest part of the image.

Photogravures of the original works of art at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (The World's Columbian Exposition) took 3 years to complete, increasing the availability/accessibility of high-quality art to be seen and admired. This photo-engraving is exemplary of the fine art pictorial photogravures process showing exceptional detail, deep impressions, varying tone, depth and shade.

Photogravure is a time-consuming, labor-intensive, costly process, near lost art. "Simply put, photogravures are photographs etched into copper and printed traditionally with ink. Their rich velvety matte surface, deep shadows, delicate half tones, and luminous highlights make photogravures some of the most beautiful and tactile images ever printed. Their invention, critical to the development of photography itself, was derived from an extraordinary quest during the nineteenth century to harness the power todiffuse thought through the action of light." photogravure.com

  • Title: FORGING THE ANCHOR
  • Artist:Photogravure after a painting by Stanhope A. Forbes, A.R.A.
  • Issued: 1895 D Appleton & Co. New York
  • Medium: Print: Photogravure Wove, thick stock
  • Source Publication:The Art of the World-  1893World’s Columbian Exposition
  • Dimensions:Sheet size: 16 x 11.5 in. (407 x 292 mm)
  • Classification:Work & Industry: Iron/Blacksmithing
  • Commonality:Rare/Some tanning around the edges but not inside embossed margins