Provenance: from the collection of Count William de Belleroche until 1961; private collection until 2001.
In 1927 the Brangwyn Portfolio was published by E F
d’Alignan and Paul Turpin. Responding to a demand for high quality
reproductions of his work Brangwyn himself chose 100 items which he felt
were representative of his range of disciplines, including 12 original
etchings and 3 original lithographs. The remaining 85 works were
lithographic reproductions of watercolours, pastels and drawings
produced by photomechanical means to which Brangwyn and his assistants
added chalk or watercolour through stencils, giving the impression of
original works. In fact such is the quality of these reproductions that
they are frequently mistaken for the real thing – even by the top
auction houses.
The folios, presented in a folder measuring 45x64cm, were
produced in a limited edition of 120, costing 100 guineas each. Most
were sold to Japan, America and Europe. Works produced before 1922 were
numbered 1-50, before 1927 were numbered 51-100.
Brangwyn was a fervent believer that art should be accessible to
all, regardless of wealth or station, which probably explains his
interest in autographic processes. A mass produced printed work was
obviously considerably more affordable for the general population than a
one-off oil painting. Although Brangwyn cut corners – he would
rework an image in a variety of media and frequently recycled areas of
etching plates to produce another print run – he appeared to give his
printed work as much attention to detail and composition as his original
pieces.
His interest in printing processes is reflected in the fact that
he was made an Associate and Fellow of the Royal Society of
Painter-Printmakers in 1903; was the first President of the Society of
Graphic Art in 1921, a group which exhibited both drawings and prints
at the Royal Institute galleries from 1921 to 1940; and was an active
member of the Senefelder Club founded in 1909, succeeding Joseph
Pennell as President.
We are grateful to Libby Horner for assistance.