Christ Blessing Bread, from Religious Events, No. 1 and No. 2 - George Baxter

Gift of Henry M. Huxley

"Christ Blessing Bread, from Religious Events, No. 1 and No. 2" by George Baxter (c. 1852) Steel etching and stipple, with block printing in colors (from 8 blocks), on wove paper, laid down on wove paper mount with block printing in gold.

Commentary

"Christ Blessing Bread, from Religious Events, No. 1 and No. 2" by George Baxter (c. 1852) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of th e expressive work. Themes to notice include etching. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. George Baxter is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: George Baxter English, 1804-1867. The work is cataloged within a England cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as etching, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Steel etching and stipple, with block printing in colors (from 8 blocks), on wove paper, laid down on wove paper mount with block printing in gold) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Sheet: 4.5 × 2.3 cm (1 13/16 × 15/16 in.); mount: 11.4 × 8 cm (4 1/2 × 3 3/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include etching. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/128186

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data