{"product_id":"portrait-of-john-riley-and-egbert-van-heemskerck-alexander-bannerman","title":"Portrait of John Riley and Egbert van Heemskerck - Alexander Bannerman","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn eighteenth-century engraving by Alexander Bannerman, featuring portraits of painters John Riley and Egbert van Heemskerck from Horace Walpole's 'Anecdotes of Painting in England'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis engraving by Alexander Bannerman depicts the English painter John Riley, presented within a formal oval frame. Below the primary portrait, a smaller vignette features the Dutch artist Egbert van Heemskerck. The work originates from the multi-volume publication 'Anecdotes of Painting in England', a project compiled by Horace Walpole, the 4th Earl of Orford. Walpole sought to document the history of the arts in Britain, commissioning various engravers to produce illustrations for his text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBannerman employs traditional burin techniques to define the facial features and the texture of the subjects' clothing. The cross-hatching used to create shadow and depth is characteristic of eighteenth-century book illustration. Riley is shown in a three-quarter view, his gaze directed towards the viewer, while the smaller portrait of van Heemskerck below offers a contrasting, more informal expression. The inclusion of the text 'vol. III. p. 122' at the top right corner confirms its original purpose as a plate within a larger printed volume. The composition follows the conventions of the period, where portraiture was often used to provide a visual record of historical figures for scholarly reference. The print remains a clear example of the collaborative nature of eighteenth-century publishing, where the work of the author, the original painter, and the engraver converged to disseminate knowledge of art history to a wider audience. The clean lines and formal structure reflect the aesthetic preferences of the Enlightenment era, prioritising clarity and documentation over decorative flourish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/neo-classical-vases-in-a-landscape-jean-charles-delafosse\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNeo-classical Vases in a Landscape - Jean Charles Delafosse — Jean Charles Delafosse\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/a-grecian-lovely-john-william-godward\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eA Grecian Lovely - John William Godward — John William Godward\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Alexander Bannermann","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59102154654031,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59102157799759,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59102157832527,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59102157865295,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59102157898063,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59102157930831,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59102157963599,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59102157996367,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59102158029135,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59102158061903,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59102158094671,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59102158127439,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Portrait-of-John-Riley-and-Egbert-van-Heemskerck_Poster_CompositorV1_1791865301209.jpg?v=1791865786","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/portrait-of-john-riley-and-egbert-van-heemskerck-alexander-bannerman","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}