An example of David’s work

David  LUCAS (Engraver)

David Lucas  (1802–1881) Best known for his work of Mezzotint engraving  of John Constable’s landscape paintings.

Born in Geddington Chase Northamptonshire the son of Charles a local farmer in 1802.

He became a Pupil of S W Reynolds were he learnt the trade between 1820 and 1827.

He then moved to St George Hanover Square, London. [In the very fashionable Pimlico district].

His Brother William took over the family farm, his half brother Charles was a Pianoforte Maker and tuner.

David also had a half sister Elizabeth Sarah.

However he spent his last years in Fulham Union Workhouse.

Mezzotint: -

A print made from an engraved copper or steel plate, the surface of which has been scraped and polished to give areas of shade and light respectively, which allows for the creation of prints with soft gradations of tone and rich and velvety blacks.  It was the first tonal method to be used, enabling half-tones to be produced without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple.

The technique was much used in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries for the reproduction of paintings.