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Tuesday March 19th 2024

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Francis Jukes

Francis Jukes was born in Martley in 1745. He became famous for his, engraving and aquatint work, particularly using a new technique he developed with Sandby from 1774 onwards. He was based at 3 Hosier Lane in London, between Holborn and The City, insuring his premises for £50. One of his earlier engravings can be found in Sandby’s “A New Drawing Book” , published in 1779. In 1780 he produced illustrations of ” A Country Racecourse”. Thereafter he produced a prolific number of engravings and aquatint work, of ten collaborating with others such as Gilpin, Rowlandson and Pollard. In 1785 he produced a fine engraving of Vauxhall (outer London). This was followed by more classic work with” St. Preux and Julia”, “Henry and Jessy ” and The Attempt to Assassinate the King”, all in 1786. “Courtship ” and ” Matrimony” followed in 1787. He then produced a particularly fine set of “London Squares” including a highly collectable” View of Hanover Square”. From 1788 he began to develop much wider themes, illustrating ” Views in the Pacific”, based on sketches from Captain Cook’s Third Voyage. He also worked on illustrations of Mount Vernon in Virginia (home of George Washington) and of New York. Also in the same year (1788) his engravings of” Higflyer” (a racehorse ) and “Foxhound Modish” and “Pointer Dash” were produced as part of his continuing work with rural themes. In 1780 he produced a series of eight plates called “The Pytchley Hunt ” showing horses in full flight which, if seen today, would either make us put a significant bet on them or ask for a Steward’s doping enquiry! 1794 saw two nostalgic engravings, ” A Visit to the Uncle” and ” A Visit to the Aunt”. At the turn of the century Francis Jukes was fully engaged with rural themes, illustrating Dawyes’ ” Views on The Wye ” in 1797, Nicholson’s ” Views of England ” and ” Views of Ireland ” (1800-1), a ” View of Brielle” (in Holland),and working on Campbell’s ” A Journey to Scotland” in 1802, the same year he produced a pair of high quality engravings of ” A Two Year Old Ram” and ” A Two Year Old Ewe of the New Leicestershire Breed”. Francis Jukes died in 1812, having worked with engraving and aquatint along side the great illustrators of the late eighteenth century. His work is still highly collectable, fetching from a few hundred pounds to £3,000 for his complete sets.