Before a Thunderstorm 1791

Plowing (Ploughing)

Horses Inside a Stable (larger print)

The Rabbit Hunt

Brother and Sister

Milkmaid and Cowherd

Born in Derby England in 1752 John Raphael Smith was the youngest son of the landscape artist Thomas Smith. He began his career painting miniatures and although he continued to paint in oils and pastels throughout his life he made his fortune as an engraver after opening his own shop selling mezzotints in 1773. Many of the mezzotints Smith exhibited at the Royal Academy were copied from paintings by academicians such as Joshua Reynolds and George Romney and he was widely regarded as one of the finest engravers of the late 18th century. In 1784 Smith was appointed official engraver to the Prince of Wales later George IV. Despite a reputation as a hard drinking 'bon viveur' Smith had a good head for business and sometime around 1790 persuaded his friend George Morland to give him control over publication of Morland's low life rural scenes which were by far his most popular. These were probably the most sort after prints of the late 18th century and helped Smith become extremely wealthy although they did little for Morland himself who was to die destitute in 1804. In order to adapt his style to the artist he was copying Smith would often paint a number of versions of a particular painting. Morland first painted 'Milkmaid and Cowherd' in 1792 and this version by Smith would have been painted shortly afterwards. It differs from the original only in that Morland painted pasture to the left of the painting (the view through the fence) as opposed to water in Smith's version.

Milkmaid and Cowherd (after George Morland).
by
Attributed to John Raphael Smith 1752-1812. English
Bears label verso. Oil on canvas.
Image size 17 X 21inches (43 X 53cms).

The Milkmaid and Cowherd

Cowherd and Milkmaid 1792