No. 6. The Dram

London: Published by J. R. Smith, King Street, Covent Garden, 1796. Colour-printed mezzotint. In good condition with the exception of a tear along the plate mark on the bottom right corner. Image size: 19 9/16 x 15 3/4 inches. A touching image of country life by George Morland, one of the most celebrated English genre painters.

George Morland was one of the most successful genre painters of his time, creating, during his industrious career, some of England's most cherished paintings. At an early age Morland displayed his artistic genius, he learned to paint at three and exhibited his first work at the Royal Academy at the mere age of ten. He was a prodigious painter, producing more than 4000 paintings during the entirety of his career, and sometimes painting two or three works in a day. His beautiful idealistic scenes were a favorite source of inspiration for contemporary engravers, and as many as 250 separate engravings were done of his paintings during his lifetime. His brother-in-law, William Ward, engraved a great number of his paintings reproducing in print his endearing paintings of English country life. Ward's engravings after Morland are some of the most beautiful prints of the period; they combine fine technical skill and inspired artistic imagination to create enduring images that speak of the taste and beauty of the age.

Dawe, G. Morland p. 142.