Part of National Museums Liverpool

Procris and Cephalus

Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1812-02-11 Published

WAG 4439

Part of

Works on paper

About this object

This print, 'Procris and Cephalus', is plate 41 of Turner's 'Liber Studiorum' series. It is an example of the Historical category of landscape painting. It was published with the 8th part of the series on 14 February 1812.

The 'Liber Studiorum' illustrated Turner’s arguments for the supremacy of landscape painting. The title means ‘book of studies’ in Latin. It contained no written text, instead it was made up of individual mezzotint prints on paper. They were released in fourteen parts from around 1807 until 1819. Turner intended the 'Liber' to consist of 100 prints but only 71 were ultimately produced.

The prints reflected the five categories of landscape painting Turner believed existed: architectural, historical, marine, mountainous and pastoral. Turner wrote an initial on each work to indicate which category it belonged to.

Object specifics

  • Artist(s)
    George Clint (British, born:1770-04-12, died:1854-05-10)
    Joseph Mallord William Turner (British: English, born:1775-05-23 probably, died:1851-12-19)
  • Date
    1812-02-11 Published
  • Materials
    Mezzotint; Paper
  • Measurements
    image: 18.8 cm x 26.7 cm
  • Physical description
    A dense wooded scene with light shining from the right. In the foreground the young man Cephalus is tending to his wife Procris who has been pierced by a spear on the left. Two hunting dogs lie next to them.
  • Related people
    George Clint (Artist/maker, engraver); Joseph Mallord William Turner (Artist/maker)
  • Other number(s)
    WAG Inventory Number: 4439
  • Credit line
    Purchased by the Walker Art Gallery in 1874
  • Location
    Item not currently on display
  • Collection
    From the Walker Art Gallery collections

Inscriptions

Item inscriptions

  • Inscription text: H
    Inscription method: Printed
    Inscription note:
    Inscription location: Above plate
  • Inscription text: Feb 14 1812
    Inscription method:
    Inscription note:
    Inscription location:
Object view = Fine Art
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