The Beautiful Fruit Gatherer [18th century English color mezzotint]

London: R[obert] Sayer and J Bennett, 1782. Edition Unknown.. Mounted on board at an early date.. Good; vertical margins trimmed; colors are deep and solid; some bug (?) damage along the blank lower border and minor surface rubbing.. Print. Stencil, hand and block printed color mezzotint meas. appx. 353 x 252 mm.

A handsome decorative print depicting a woman in an elaborate garden collecting grapes. She is wearing a flowing white dress, apron, shawl and black hat adorned with flowers. Beside her is a basket of fruit. All are highlighted in hand-color differently applied, i.e., stencil or brush work. The firm of Sayer and Bennett were a prominent business of mapmakers during the 18th century benefitting from Sayer's prolonged association with Thomas Jefferys whom he rescued from bankruptcy in 1766. See Worms, British Map Engravers, pp. 585-588; see also Carol Wax, The Mezzotint - History and Technique for chapters on the history of technical developments and the marketplace in the 18th century. There is a similar figure of painted and decorated plaster in the garden of Antony House, Cornwall, UK.