William Harvey (after B.R. Haydon) (1796-1866)
Assassination of L.S. Dentatus (Death of Dentatus)
1821
Wood engraving
14 5/8 x 11 1/4″ (37.15 x 28.58 cm)
Wetmore Print Collection, Connecticut College
FW-0088
Harvey’s engraving seems like a typical recreation of a history painting. However, it is considered one of the most ambitious wood engravings ever made due to its fine linework, relatively large size, and hectic composition. Harvey achieved such detail by imitating copperplate engraving—essentially, choosing to draw contours rather than gouge out negative space to create outlines. Some 19th century writers argued Dentatus should not be so highly praised as it rivals copperplate instead of mastering the characteristic wood engraving technique. Meanwhile, Hayden’s painting almost immediately disappeared, undocumented by any means other than through this print.
