Coursing

Description

Stipple engraving, printed in colours and finished by hand, by Robert Dodd. Only the publisher is certain on this print. Siltzer records Simpson as having published a series of six plates after Ibbetson in 1790, but with the 'Coursing' plate in aquatint by Simpson himself. The remaining five are listed as being stipple engravings by Dodd. The present image is the correct size, and the engraving method is uniform with the other five by Dodd. All this suggests that this may be a proposed replacement for the earlier aquatint and should therefore be viewed as a companion piece to the other Dodd prints. Julius Cµsar Ibbetson "was apprenticed to John Fletcher, a ship-painter at Hull. Ibbetson attracted public attention by his designs for ship decoration and by some scenery painted for the Hull Theatre, and his success encouraged him to seek his fortune in London in 1777. Becoming acquainted with Captain William Baillie and others, he was introduced into good society, and was patronised by the nobility. In 1788 he accepted a post in Colonel Cathcart's embassy to China. Cathcart, however, died at Java during the voyage, and Ibbetson returned to England. He made many drawings during the voyage, and obtained nautical experience, which he afterwards turned to account in his pictures, but was not able to obtain any remuneration on his return... He sought relief from his misery in dissipation and convivial society, after the example of his friend, George Morland... This only led to further embarrassments, and in 1798 he quitted London for Liverpool to escape his creditors. Ibbetson lived quietly for some time near Ambleside in Westmoreland... He suffered further pecuniary losses through the defalcations of a friend, but the number of his commissions now enabled him to free himself to some extent from debt. At the invitation of one of his chief patrons, Mr. William Danby of Swinton Park, Ibbetson settled near that place in Masham, Yorkshire..." (" DNB" ).