Raphaël

Raphaël is a significant 19th-century reproductive print created by the British engraver D.J. Pound (active c. 1860) and published by Albert Henry Payne (English, 1812-1902), faithfully translating a masterwork by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael. Produced between 1855 and 1875, this piece utilizes a combination of stipple etching and standard etching techniques on paper. This delicate and labor-intensive process, characterized by numerous small dots and finely incised lines, allowed Pound to effectively mimic the tonal subtleties, depth, and texture of the original painting, thereby making the image accessible to a broad 19th-century European audience.

The production of high-quality prints after canonical art was a crucial industry during the Victorian era. The publisher, Albert Henry Payne, operating extensively in Germany, played a vital role in the international dissemination of these works, catering to the immense cultural appetite across the United Kingdom and the continent for reproductions of High Renaissance figures. Pound’s interpretation highlights the sustained fascination with Italian artistic genius among British consumers and collectors. This work served not only as decoration but also as a primary educational tool for artists and the public alike, who were often unable to view the original painting.

This piece exemplifies the flourishing reproductive print culture of the time, bridging the gap between historical masterworks and contemporary viewers. The finished print successfully captures the subject matter and composition of the Renaissance source material while showcasing the technical skill of the 19th-century engraver. Today, this important record of art dissemination resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars insight into Victorian-era taste and print technology. As a work often digitized for study, high-resolution prints are available through public domain initiatives, ensuring the continued academic study of this unique collaboration.