‘The London Carnival’
Artist: Walter Crane (1845–1915)
Engraver: W. J. Linton
1862
Wood-engraving
7 ½ x 4 ½ inches
Illustration for London Society 2 (July–December 1862), facing p.79. Another image showing the wealthy at play in which the artist stresses appearance rather than psychological portraiture. The composition tellingly focuses on surfaces and textures, with close attention being paid to the billowing crinolines, the smooth canopies of the parasols and the elaborate floral accessories attached to the hats: a world where appearance is the primary currency and leisure its mode of exchange.
[Click on image to enlarge it.]
Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke