English: After Thomas Stothard, The Pilgrimage to Canterbury, engraved by Louis Schiavonetti and James Heath 1809-17
Artwork details
Artist
After Thomas Stothard (1755‑1834)
Title
The Pilgrimage to Canterbury, engraved by Louis Schiavonetti and James Heath
Date1809-17
MediumEtching and engraving on paper
Dimensionsunconfirmed: 269 x 958 mm
Collection
Tate
AcquisitionPurchased 1994
Reference
T06857
Robert Cromek, who had commissioned the original painting of the Canterbury Pilgrims from Stothard, was eager to have the image engraved. In fact this engraving was not published until 1817, by which time Cromek had died.
The print was a great commercial success. In 1855 it was said that ‘few, if any, engravings of that period were so popular with the public’. A key to the figures in the picture is printed under the image.