Old Man in a Fur Cap and Coat - John Smith of Chichester

A detailed etching by John Smith of Chichester, capturing an elderly man in profile with a focus on texture and character.

This etching by John Smith of Chichester depicts an elderly man in profile, wearing a heavy fur-lined coat and a distinctive fur cap. The work demonstrates the artist's engagement with the printmaking traditions of the seventeenth century, particularly the influence of Rembrandt van Rijn. Smith, one of the three notable Smith brothers from Chichester, was known for his interest in the Dutch masters, often adopting their techniques to explore character and texture through line work.

The composition focuses on the subject's profile, allowing the artist to examine the weathered features of the face. The etching process provides a means to render the tactile quality of the fur, using dense hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and shadow. The background remains largely unworked, which directs the viewer's attention to the figure. This approach reflects a common practice among eighteenth-century British printmakers who sought to emulate the expressive power of earlier European portraiture.

John Smith of Chichester was a painter and engraver who worked within the aesthetic framework of his time, often producing works that mirrored the style of the Dutch Golden Age. This particular print captures the interest in physiognomy and the study of types that occupied many artists of the period. The lines are precise, showing a clear understanding of the etching needle's potential to convey both the softness of fur and the ruggedness of human skin. The work is a representative example of the British interest in historical styles during the mid-eighteenth century, providing a clear look at the technical capabilities of the artist in this medium.