Samuel Palmer (1805-1881)

The Vine

London, 1852

Etching

Plate: 30.5 x 21.7 cm; paper: 41.5 x 29.5 cm; mount: 55.5 x 40.4 cm

Bacchus, the Roman god of agriculture and wine, leaps from his chariot in a burst of bright light to meet his followers.

Vines creep across the ground and entwine themselves around trees, while plump cherubs collect the abundant grapes. Palmer was greatly influenced by the works of William Blake and by poetry and literature. This etching was published in Songs and Ballads of Shakespeare Illustrated by the Etching Club (1853) and includes a verse from Act 2, Scene VII of Anthony and Cleopatra.

Purchased 1960 (No. 60.10)

WORKS ON PAPER

We show a rotating selection of works on paper in our two dedicated exhibition spaces. If you wish to view a work not currently on display, you can make an appointment to see it in the Prints and Drawings Study Room, which is equipped with lecterns and a study/seminar table.

The study room is open to students, scholars, and members of the general public, individually or in small groups, by prior appointment only. The room has tables and chairs to facilitate private study or seminars.